


The Shield and the Sword

by LunnarEclipse



Category: Castlevania (Cartoon), 悪魔城ドラキュラ | Castlevania Series
Genre: F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fantasy, Fluff, Romance, Vampires, Witches, also reader is lisa's apprentice!!, around a year or so before the bishop abducts her, for v eventual smut, kind of a slow burn?, so when lisa was still alive, this is rated 'm' for now, this story takes place before the events of the show/castlevania 3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2019-08-28 14:07:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 48,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16724856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunnarEclipse/pseuds/LunnarEclipse
Summary: You're a witch that is skilled in herbology, one that has been persecuted by the church for practically your entire life. In spite of this, moving throughout different towns has allowed you to pick up some chatter about a woman in a village called Lupu. She is supposed to be a wonder when it comes to medicine, and this immediately perks up your interest. So after plucking up some courage, you've made it to her door... hoping that she takes you as her apprentice.





	1. A Bewitching Doctor

           

The fates must have had a good chuckle to themselves when they made you; a witch in Wallachia.

Who would’ve thought.

It was always so exhausting trying to hide who you were.

Life was a constant struggle of moving from town to town when townsfolk got too suspicious and started asking _far_ too many questions for your liking.

“You’re awfully young to be a wise woman. How do you know so much about plants?”

“Why does this here book say that you’re giving me _blood of Hestia_!”

(It had been chamomile, since she reported having trouble sleeping)

Being on your own was not exactly the easiest thing either.

When you were younger you had been surrounded by witches, old and young, and had lived in a thriving coven in a distant countryside.

You could remember the smell of crisp sea air, and the feel of worn out wood against your bare feet.

The small cottage that you had lived in with your mother was quaint, a place filled with an exotic array of plants and flowers. Crystals lined the windowsills and books were stacked on top one another in piles scattered about the room as the shelves had been packed full of various potions.

Sisters would filter in and out of your childhood home to either meet with your mother or visit you when you were old enough to begin your studies.

The feeling of complete exhilaration that had filled your heart when your mother handed you a leatherbound book to be your book of shadows, your grimoire, is a memory that you still hold dear to you.

The sense of community that you all felt, as though you were all a family…  is something that you missed dearly.

It did not do well to dwell on the past, as reminiscing on the happy times often lead to you inevitably running into the things that you _never_ wished to remember.

As things stood now, you had managed to make it to a small village known as Lupu. But it wasn’t a coincidence that you ended up here.

During your travels, you had heard rumors of a woman living here that was beginning to garner quite the reputation of being an exceptional healer.

While some people chalked it up to being another wisewoman that was trying to drive more business to her, a small group amongst them understood that she was a doctor, a physician that was showing actual results of keeping illnesses at bay.

This is what intrigued you the most. If this was someone that genuinely understood the art of healing and medicine, you wanted to meet them so that you could build off of the knowledge that appeared to have been only spoken of by the elders in your coven.

Specific tools that could be used in mending severe injuries. Concoctions that would heal a cough or fever within only a few hours, or even temporarily reduce the pain of a headache.

You wanted to be able to incorporate this aspect of medicine into your magic so that you could have other means of acquiring similar results.

So you hoped that when you finally knocked on her door that she’d accept you as a student and not immediately toss you out for being a witch.

You had managed to track down the small stone cabin nestled near the edge of the forest by snooping on several villagers that had trekked in this direction when they appeared a little under the weather.

It was rather charming, with colorful flower bushes lining the exterior walls, and a cobblestone pathway parallel to a small snaking river that was lined with other beautiful flowers. The windows were open and you could pick up hints of herbs and _earth_.

You were a little nervous as you neared closer and closer to the door, your shoes making soft tapping sounds against the stones.

As you raised your hand up to the door, you adjusted the bag on your shoulder that you had filled with magical tomes, glass vials, charm bags, and the journal you had written out all of your herbology knowledge in.

With three square knocks you lowered your arm when you could pick up the sounds of footsteps. Your breath caught in your throat as a woman opened the door. She was…

 _Beautiful_.

You certainly doubted that this was the mischievous old croon some of the villagers claimed she’d be, and you noticed how her blue eyes sparkled as she smiled down at you.

“Well hello there! Is there something that I can help you with?”

Her voice was rich, and her aura was so warm that you could not help but relax under her gaze.

You cleared your throat and gave her a wave. “Yes, hello! I have been hearing some rumors about you around the village and I was wondering if they were true.”

Her expression soured slightly and she folded her arms against her chest. “If you’ve merely come to say how I’m a witch, then you can just leave. Because I’m not, alright. I’m a doctor, I use science to heal people!”

You were slightly dumbfounded, surprised that she had been thought to be a witch for her interest in medicine. This gave you slight hope that maybe she _wouldn’t_ be as turned off by you if you mentioned that you happened to be an actual witch.

“No… no! That is not it at all! I also happen to be very fond of herbology, or the study of plants,” you grabbed one of the pouches out of your bag. You pulled it open and precured an assortment of herbs from inside.

“I’m also very skilled at healing people, through the use of magic.” you blew softly against the tiny bundle of fennel between your fingers and it burst into small blue sparks. The smoke that came from it coiled around a small cut on your ring finger and wrapped around the wound like a serpent constricting its prey. After a second or so, it vanished, completely healed.

The woman before you was stunned, her eyes wide in shock. “That was incredible! So… you’re a witch who uses plants to perform your magic?”

You nodded. “Exactly. I honestly got very excited when I heard that there was someone else out there well-versed in understanding how plants can be used as medicine.”

“Well I am certainly thrilled that you managed to find your way to me!” she stuck her hand out and you clasped in in a firm greeting.

“My name is Lisa Tepes, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Likewise,” you said and gave your name as well.

“What a lovely name!” she said, and stepped aside so that you could enter the small home.

It was so inviting inside, with the sleek wooden floors, and shelves lined with jars that contained herbs and plants you could easily recognize. There was a large table in the corner of the room, not too far from the fireplace, and a vase filled with lovely roses sat on a beautifully embroidered satin runner.  

Sunlight filtered in through the large open windows, and you could see butterflies and bees busying themselves with the blooming bushes and blooming flowers in the terracotas that hung outside every sill.

“You have such a lovely home, Ms. Tepes.”

She flushed, and picked up a steaming kettle from the rack above the crackling fire. “Just Lisa is fine, but thank you!” she grabbed two tea cups and then walked over to the table. She pulled out a chair and sat down, before she made a gesture for you to join her.

“I was unsure what kind of tea you favored, so I went ahead and picked some rose petal bags I made myself.” she gave you a wink as she poured the hot water into your cup. “I suppose it was my own callback to your heritage.”

You gave a small chuckle and steeped the bag. “You’re very astute. Most would assume that us witches only drink something preposterous, like the blood of your first born.”

Lisa laughed, a sound that rung like the pleasant chime of bells in your ear.

“Well you can rest assured that I will never think such things! I have not read too much on witches, but I do know a little thanks to my son.”

“You have a son?”

She took a sip of her tea, a fond expression glazing her visage. “Yes, he’s such a smart boy. Actually… he’s recently begun studying magic. Maybe you could teach him a thing or two?”

You could not tell if she was joking, but you saw this as a prime opportunity to make your move.

“Actually, m’am--”

“Just Lisa!” she chided.

“Yes, right,” you said, a shy smile on your face. “Lisa... I was actually wondering if you would be willing to take me on as your apprentice.”

Lisa’s jaw dropped slightly, and honestly, you were a little confused as to why she appeared to shocked.

“Did… did I say something wrong?” you question, hands wrapped around your cup of tea, while your finger nervously traced the patterns painted into the porcelain.

Lisa waved her hands. “Oh no! No, you did not say anything upsetting, darling. It’s just… _surprising_ that you would want to study under me. I would think you’d know even more than me!”

“I cannot deny that I do know an awful lot about plants and flowers, but…” you faltered, and took a deep sigh. “I must confess, that this knowledge is only in a ritualistic sense. I can only perform very basic healing spells, and I would like to learn more in order to create and perfect incantations so that I may do some real good.”

Lisa smiled and placed a hand on your arm. “I’m very honored that you believe I can do that for you. I can see that you are a very driven young woman, and that your heart is filled with good and strong determination. I am just worried that you might be underwhelmed by what I know.”

You shook your head. “I sincerely doubt that. What I’ve been hearing has me humbled. It… well, what I have heard reminds me of the old wisdoms the elders in my clan wrote of before… before…” you falter, and feel your heart clench up and you scoff as tears well up in your eyes.

“Oh, love…” Lisa whispers, and grabs a handkerchief from one of her dress pockets. She hands it to you, which you accept with slight hesitation, humiliated that you had lost your composure in front of a literal stranger.

“It’s alright, there’s no need to be ashamed,” she said, as if she could read your thoughts. “I too have heard my fair share of rumors about what has been happening in this country as of late. I’m relieved that you’ve been able to escape it all.”

You wiped away the few tears that managed to fall, and thanked her quietly. “It… has not been easy, but I have managed.”

Lisa was silent for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed contemplation. “Forgive me… but, are you… I mean, have you been living on your own?”

“Yes,” you replied and went to hand her back the handkerchief.

She shooed it away. “Please, keep it. I’m a doctor, I have an overabundance of those blasted things. My husband made sure that I was completely stocked up when I first opened shop.”

You laughed, and your grip tightened slightly on it, as a sense of gratitude welled up within you. “He sounds like a smart man. I know how frustrating it is to run out of clean instruments when you work in medicine.”

Lisa stood up and strode beside you, and gave your shoulder a firm squeeze. “Come, I want to show you something.”

You allowed her to lead you into a nearby room, and you gasped at the sight. It was her workshop, a laboratory, if you could be so bold. There were books and parchment and flasks neatly arranged throughout the tables and shelves, and you could not help but gravitate towards the _massive_ tomes to flip through them.

It was exactly what you expected, the knowledge that you thought had been lost with the elders of your coven. You were honestly impressed that there was so much, but… this handwriting definitely did not ring any bells. Just who exactly transcribed all of this information?

“What do you think?”

Lisa’s question breaks your train of thought but you give her a bright smile.

“This is amazing! All of your tools… and all of your books!” you pointed to the one that you were currently flipping through. “Just where did you acquire these from? I thought that only my coven knew of all this.”

Lisa peered over your shoulder to see which textbook you were inquiring about and it was one of many on human anatomy. “They all came from the same place, or rather, the same _man_ …” she chuckled at your confused expression.

“My husband is well-versed in many fields of study. He’s the one that’s helped me become so well-informed with the teachings that we have long since abandoned.” she unclasped a golden chain from around her neck and opened up the locket that hung from it.

Inside was the portrait of a man. He had long black hair that framed his sculpted face and eyes that shone with an unspoken amount of power.

You were honestly a little intimidated.

“Is that your husband?”

A blush crept onto Lisa’s cheeks and you grinned at her reaction.

“He’s a wonderful man… I’m sure that he’d even learn a few things from you.”

“Could I meet them? Your husband and your son?” you asked, and looked around the room. “I’m surprised that they’re not here with you.”

Lisa giggled as she hooked her necklace back around her neck. “This isn’t my home, dear.”

“It isn’t?”

“Oh no,” she said, and urged you to follow her back into the front room of the cottage. “This is my office, you could say. This is where I treat all of my patients and make my medicinal brews. My home is only several miles from here, about an hour or so walk north.”

She grabbed a shawl and wrapped it around herself, before she proceeded to sling a satchel across her shoulder. You heard the distinct _clink_ of glass vials and jars, and before you could ask what she was up to, she grabbed a book that rested on a shelf and shoved that in there as well.

Lisa strutted over to the door and pushed it open and then turned to face you. “Well what are you waiting for? Come on!”

“M… me?” you stuttered.  
  
“Of course! You said that you wanted to meet my husband and son, yes? I’m sure that they’re going to be thrilled to find out that I’ve managed to snag an apprentice.”

Your heart fluttered in your chest because you could not believe what you were hearing. It had been a long time since someone had treated you with such kindness… and for Lisa to accept you for who you were… well you still couldn’t really believe it.

You gave her an affirming nod as you followed her out, filled with a newfound sense of hope and conviction as the both of you began the journey to her family home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well here is the first chapter of a fice that i have been wanting to write for MONTHS!!! i really hope y'all like it. i did not know that so many people need more alucard/reader fics so... here i am!! tysm for reading!!


	2. The Lord of Shadows

 

It had been quite a long time that you had enjoyed the  _journey_  to your destination. 

It also did not hurt that your travel companion was so easy to talk to.

You and Lisa engaged in titillating conversation about medicine, magic, and even your own personal lives. Although it was difficult to speak on much of your past without getting too choked up, you were surprised at how intrigued she was about your covens lifestyle.

“So there were no men? Not any at all?”

“Nope.”

“Then how did you…” her sentence trailed off as her index finger tapped on her lips. “Forgive me dear, but how were you born?”

You stopped walking for a moment, before you burst out laughing. “The same as everyone else, of course!”

Lisa found herself joining in on your laughter, while the two of you started walking once more. “I should have clarified, that was a rather silly question coming from a physician.”

You shook your head. “No, it’s alright, I know what you meant,” you gave a soft sigh, eyes flicking up to gaze at the sky which was slowly changing from blue to the soft pinks and oranges as twilight neared. “I never knew my father, as he had been drafted and killed in the war before I was even born. My mother told me that he was a good man though, and he loved her very much.”

“I’m sure that the both of them are watching over you, and are proud of the woman you’ve become.” Lisa said, and your heart clenched in both lament and happiness.

“Thank you, that’s very kind.”

Silence hung in the air between the both of you for a bit, but you did not find yourself feeling uncomfortable. It was a moment that you appreciated, grateful that Lisa understood when it was best for a hush to linger as certain things settled in the atmosphere.

You both continued forward into the forest, still quiet as you hopped over logs and pushed branches out of the way. Fauna lurked in between the trees, and small critters wandered around the foliage, the whole place ringing with life.

A sly little fox slinked between some nearby boulders, its light brown eyes glimmered in the last few rays of sunlight that poked from below the horizon. Its bushy tail twitched as it sensed you and Lisa approaching, the canine letting loose a sharp cry in alarm.

You hushed the poor thing, picking up on how frightened it was. Reaching into your bag, you pulled out a handful of rose petals before you blew them onto the fox.

The creature sneezed as the petals clung to its coarse fur, before it gave its body a good shake. Its ears flopped from side to side as it cleared off all the roses, and then glanced up at you. Its body lowered into a much more playful stance, before it chased its tail in excitement and then bounded back into the forest.

“Did you use magic to help that fox?” Lisa inquired.

A shy small graced your features as you nodded your head. “Yes, it was merely a simple relaxation spell though. We just gave him a right fright, and I didn’t want him to unnecessarily lash out.”

“I see your kindness does not discriminate between man or beast,” Lisa commended. “It’s good to know that there are still such gentle souls in this world.”

You shrugged your shoulders, your teeth digging into your bottom lip. “I’ve experienced so much violence and hatred… I’m so tired of it all…” you mutter, and your eyes glaze over for a second before you continue your sentence. “So I wanted to try and be someone that helps people, someone who make sures that I am able to be there for anyone who may be suffering.”

Lisa hummed low in her throat, a content sound that made you flush. “I’m so glad that you’re the one I’m going to be mentoring. I couldn’t have asked for someone better.”

“You’re too kind, Lisa.” you whisper, your face turned slightly away from her so you could compose yourself. She treated you with such gentleness that you were often brought to tears, having missed this sense of warmth _so badly._

“That’s enough about that!” she exclaimed, and it honestly catches you off guard.

“I had another question about your home life come to me as we walked. You say that there were no men there, but then how were you able to sustain your numbers?”

You blink, slowly processing what she had just said, before it dawns on you. “Oh! Yes! Well, certain girls are born witches, but they do not _know_ they are witches. It usually starts to become apparent in their young adult years, but we have some cases of much younger girls developing their powers much quicker.”

Lisa nodded in understanding. “So you were born a witch?”

“Yes. My mother was a witch, and therefore, I was a witch by birth. I remember my mother told me once that during a celebration held for my first birthday, I discovered my first ability: pyrokinesis. Apparently I was constantly extinguishing and relighting the flames of some nearby candles, giggling the whole time. I guess I thought it was entertaining?”

Lisa chuckled. “That must have been a headache for your poor mother. I don’t know what I would have done had I’d seen my one year old child flicking fireballs all around the room!”

You laughed softly, and rubbed the back of your neck. “ _Yeaah_ … I can say with confidence that my abilities in pyrokinesis are second to my healing abilities. I only got that good because I would… let’s say, _practice_ quite a lot.”

“You’re awful,” Lisa teased, and gave you a playful shove.

“Hey! Don’t blame me!” you laughed. “Us witches are absolute _nightmares_ when we’re younger because we just want to master old skills and learn new ones as fast as… as fast…” your voice escapes you as you two exit a clearing and you catch sight of a massive castle towering in the nearby distance.

“W… what… what is _that?”_ you gasped, shaken, as you take a few steps back.

“Oh… I should have warned you about my home, blast it,” Lisa mumbled, and placed a reassuring hand on your arm. “I’m not used to strangers coming to visit dear! We have occasional family stop by, but they live in places like this so they don’t even bat an eye!”

You let out a dry cough before you started back up again. “I… I’m sorry, I was just not expecting you to live in a place like… like _that!”_ you shout, feeling a little embarrassed that you had reacted so dramatically to Lisa’s home. “It’s not as if I’m scared… although it is a tad bit intimidating,” you mumble to yourself.

“It’s quite alright, love. I doubt anyone would believe me if I told them I lived in an ancient gothic castle. My little doctor’s office fits my personality a bit more!”

You breathe a small sigh of relief, a little worried you may have offended her. “Isn’t it… a bit big for just the three of you?”

Lisa snickered as she lead the way, your breath catching in your throat as the castle loomed over your head while you climbed up the steps to the ornate front door.

“It was my husband’s home before we met. I never saw the reason to make him move in with me when he had Castlevania.”

You looked pensive for a moment as your brain registered that name. Where had you heard it before? It sounded so familiar…

As you arrived at the foot of the door, you craned your neck to try and take in the towering entrance. It was as long as it was wide, an arched piece of architecture that had deeply carved designs that twisted and curved all along its body.

You could pick up the faint sound of metal _clanking_ and the distinct _hiss_ of steam as water rose to a boil. It was strange, you had never heard of anything like it.

Lisa banged two times on the door, before it slowly creaked open. She turned her head to look at you and urged for you to follow with the flick of her wrist.

You took a deep breath before you walked into the castle, your eyes widening at the sight of the interior decor as the door slammed shut behind you.

The glistening marble walls seemed to stretch up to the sky, long candelabras lined either side of the room as a multitude of thin glass tubes hung off of arches. Large windows around the entrance allowed for the oncoming moonlight to filter into the room, an eerie glow falling upon the elegant staircase that lay a little ways away.

“This place is beautiful…” you whispered.

“Thank you dear,” Lisa said, a frown on her face. “Why is it so dark in here? I can hardly see a thing--”

Just then, all of the candles ignited themselves, and the glass tubes filled with a warm glowing light that hummed softly in the background.

You were astonished, stunned at what just happened. Who had done that? You were about to ask Lisa before you noticed someone standing at the top of the stairs, and your heart skipped a beat.

It was a man. He was tall with long blond locks that rested perfectly on his shoulders, and one could have mistaken him for a marble statue with such flawless features and unnaturally golden eyes. He sported a long white sleeved shirt under a black vest, his hands clasped behind his back as his heeled boots _tapped_ against the marble as he descended the steps.

Your gaze was transfixed as he walked over to you and Lisa, and you could have sworn you caught the faintest of smirks on his lips.

“Oh, Adrian!” Lisa’s happy cry brings you back to reality, and she brings this man into a hug. “I have such wonderful news, darling. This lovely lady is going to be heeding an internship… under me!”

He gives her a smile. “That’s wonderful, mother. I’m so happy for you.” he gives her an affectionate kiss on the cheek, before he turns to face you.

You tense, unsure of what will happen next, and you feel your heartbeat quicken.

“My name is Adrian Tepes. I presume that you are the student my mother speaks of?”

His voice sends a chill down your spine, rich and refined, and smooth to the ears. You can’t find the courage to speak just yet (and you honestly don’t even trust your voice at this point) so you simply nod in response.

A soft cry of surprise slips past your lips as he gently grabs your hand and gives you a delicate kiss, and you have to remind yourself that he’s just being polite.

“You’re interested in the realms of medicinal science, I presume, miss…?”

Your fumble over your own name several times before you finally let it out in an exasperated sigh. “It’s… it’s a pleasure to meet you,” your greeting comes out slightly shakier than you would’ve liked, and your face flushes red.

Adrian chuckles, a sound that makes butterflies tickle your stomach. “The pleasures all mine.”

“Could you tell that she’s a witch?” Lisa asked her son, and if it was even possible, you felt your face get even redder.

You notice his eyes widen slightly, before he smirks at you. “Really?”

 Your chest tightens when you spy sharp fangs, startled that Lisa’s son was somehow a _vampire_. Should you tell her? Warn her? No… there’s no way she could see him every day and not notice, that was simply preposterous.

“It appears as though I have scared your student stiff, mother,” Adrian teased. “I never knew I could turn people to stone.”

Your eyes narrow at him as you snap out of it. “I’m… I’m fine.” you protest, and fold your arms to your chest. “Having a witch work alongside your mother should be no fuss at all since you’re a vampire.”

“That sounded almost bitter,” Adrian mused, before he stepped away from you. “You did not feel the need to tell her that your son is a dhampir?” he’s facing his mother now, who gives an awkward chuckle.

“Wait you’re a _dhampir?”_ you blurt out.

“But of course! I’m human, so it would only make sense that he is half human,” Lisa said, and showed you her teeth. “See? No fangs.”

“So your husband… your husband is... ?”

Lisa grabs a hold of your arm and tugs you forward. “Come, let us find the man himself so he can answer any questions you may have.”

She directs you through her home as the three of you walk down a long hallway in silence, neither of your footsteps making a sound as you trekked across the carpeted floor.

You glanced up every now and again when you would catch sight of detailed paintings hanging from the walls, and you could have sworn you saw a portrait of who you presumed was Lisa’s husband standing next to a woman that was equally as intimidating, with her gold eyes and long black hair.

An inquisitive tap on your shoulder brought your attention back to the task at hand. When you turned your head to see who it was, you were startled to see Adrian standing next to you.

“Forgive me, but I failed to entertain my mother’s earlier statement of you being a witch.” his lips twitched into a grin at the flush on your cheeks. “Is it true?”

You cleared your throat, and stepped away from him slightly to give yourself some space. “Yes. I specialize in healing magic and herbology, with the addition of being skilled in pyrokinesis. But I can perform very basic spells of any kind, as well.”

“Fascinating,” he said. “I’ve been undergoing the study of magic as well. Perhaps you could teach me a thing or two?”

You looked at him, your eyes looking him up and down, assessing him. You made a small _hmm_ , your lips pursed, before you spoke, “I cannot sense too much magical energy from you, although there are traces. Nevertheless, I would not get your hopes up that you will be able to reach even my level.”

Adrian’s face flashed with what you could only assume was a tinge of hurt, and his eyes narrowed at you as he took in your words. “What makes you say that?”

“Women are more proficient in magic, and that is a fact. Although there have been documented cases of males having some magical abilities, it just comes to women much more naturally.” you explain clearly. “I could teach you, I just do not want you to fall under the guise of being able to surpass me.”

“I suppose I’ll just have to show you of what I’m capable of then.” his voice is sharp, and Lisa whirls her head around to glare at her son.

“Watch your tone, Adrian. Be grateful that she even agreed to teach you.” she stopped in front of a large entrance sealed off by cherrywood double-doors, and placed her hands on their surface before she reprimanded him once more, “You are a smart boy, Adrian. But do not allow for your intelligence to turn into arrogance.”

With that she pushed the doors open, and the sight took your breath away. Lisa had taken you into an enormous library with shelves that nearly touched the ceiling. All of them were crammed full of books, with candles and tubes of light illuminating the area to provide ample visibility. A large marble fireplace crackled at the end of the room, and large antique chairs and couches huddled around its warmth.

It was on one of the arm chairs that you saw _him._

The flames accentuated the sharp features of his face, and his eyes shone like rubies, a stark contrast to his pitch black hair. His legs are crossed, his knee-high heeled black boots folded on top of one another as a large satin cape is draped on the automan to the right of him.

One of his large clawed hands lay on a lavish armrest, while the other holds open a book, which he closes with a _snap_ when he picks up that he is no longer alone.

A smile caused his face to wrinkle, revealing a glimpse into how old he truly was. He steps up out of his seat and your taken aback by how tall he is (and you wonder why he even needed to wear heels in the first place!).

“Hello, my love,” he said, embracing Lisa as she ran into his arms. The sound of his voice rang through the very marrow of your bones, and you had to fight the urge to cower under such immense _power_.

In spite of feeling this primal fear in his presence, you could not help but smile at their affectionate display as he lowered himself so that Lisa could give him a kiss, her fingers twirling the long strand at the end of his goatee.

“Darling, there is someone here that I would like you to meet.”

At Lisa’s offhand mention you stiffened, mentally unprepared to meet her husband.

“Oh?” he looks up and his eyes bore holes into you. It only takes a few long strides before he is standing before you, and you had to bite down on your lip to take control of the small tremors that shake through your body.

He inhales sharply and it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, a small grimace arising on his face in response.

“This one here _reeks_ of magic.”

“Don’t be so rude!” Lisa chastised, her hands on her hips as she glared at her husband.

“My love, you do know that she is a witch, yes?”

“Of course I do! Do you think I’d just bring anyone here to meet you?” Lisa snapped.

A mixture of fear and delight coursed through you, worried by her husband’s apparent disdain for witches but relieved by how firmly Lisa stood up for you. You hoped that she’d be able to convince him that you were worthy of being her apprentice. You were a good witch!

“How did you manage to meet a witch?”

“She tracked me down! It’s amazing, really. She’s a witch that wants to heal people! Can’t you see how perfect she is?” Lisa walked over to you and pointed to your bag. “Why don’t you show my husband some of your magic, love?”

You nodded meekly as you reached into your bag and pulled out a handful of white rose petals. You let them gently tumble out of your grip, but just before they could reach the floor, they morphed into butterflies. The tiny creatures sparkled with the thin coats of magic that permeated their wings, and they fluttered around the room as they explored the new environment.

Lisa gasped in amazement, and her eyes twinkled with childlike wonder. Even Adrian could not resist smiling as one of the butterflies landed on his outstretched hand, his father’s face softening slightly at the enchanting display.

“While that was charming, my wife said that you specialized in healing. How do I know that you weren’t lying?”

Lisa opened her mouth to say something in your defense, but you stopped her. “Please sir, if I may,” you said, and awaited permission to continue.

He appeared surprised by your forthright manners, before he gave a nod of his head in approval.

“I have been trained my whole life in the study of herbology. My mother was the resident physician in my coven, and taught me everything that I know. I can assure you that I came to your wife with the sole intention of learning from her to improve my skills so that I may help those who are suffering in this country,” you take a deep breath to steady your nerves and then resume speaking. “I understand your skepticism, but please believe me when I say that I mean you or your family no harm.”

The library is silent, Lisa’s husband musing over your words, before he chuckled. “How curious,” he said, and smiled when he noticed a butterfly on the top of Lisa’s head. “You remind me of some women that I knew once, a long time ago.”

His comment interested you, so you decided to press what he meant. “What women?”

“It was a group of witches. They called themselves the Sisters of the Divine Teachings.”

Time seemed to slow down around you as memories from your childhood came flooding back. The whispers of the elders about a man, someone that took their work seriously, someone who could preserve their teachings and keep it safe; an immortal with an affinity for knowledge.

A scene flashed before you, of your grandmother meeting up with your mother to visit the man everyone was buzzing about, proclaiming that he was a scholar of the sciences. They told you they would be back, your mother’s bag filled with her own personal journals and notes.

_“We’re off to Castlevania to meet with the Lord of Shadows.”_

“What is your name?” you whispered, as a title fleeted on the tip of your tongue, a remembrance of time that you had long since forgotten.

He bowed as he introduced himself. “I am Vlad Dracula Tepes, the lord of this castle.”

_Dracula._

“You… you’re the one the elders spoke of!” you gasped, before a grin erupted on your face. “You’re the man that I have to thank for preserving all my their discoveries!”

Vlad’s eyes widened and he kneeled in front of you as he placed a hand to your chest. “My word, I should have realized sooner that you were a descendant of that coven. They were such intelligent women, I hope you can send them my regards the next time you return home.”

Your confidence fractured, and your eyes clouded over with sadness. How could he have no idea what’s happened?

“I… I have no home, sir…” your voice is barely above a whisper, your head turned away from Vlad to hide your face.

_“What?”_

Lisa gives your shoulder a reassuring squeeze, and you mumble a quiet thank you. “She’s the only one left, sweetheart.” her voice quivered, a hint of rage hidden beneath her sorrow. “They were all murdered.”

She brings you into a tight hug as Vlad processed this news. You wrap your arms tightly around her, face buried in her soft blond locks. She smelled of lavender and the trees, a smell that calms you down almost instantly.

“Who did this?” his voice is a growl, a murderous sound that caused a chill to permeate the very air.

“I suspect it was the church’s doing,” Adrian said. “I’ve been hearing things from several of mother’s patients of how superstitious they’re becoming.”

After a tense moment of silence, Vlad lets out a long, tired exhale. “I do not wish for this little one to relive her trauma, we will cease this discussion at once.”

“Thank you,” you mutter as you pull away from Lisa, wiping away a few stray tears with the back of your hand.

“There will come a time when I would like to ask you about what all happened… but for now, I would like to formally welcome you to my home.” A smile is back on his face, and he takes a step back to extend out his arms as he presents the library to you. “This is merely one of many rooms that have been filled with knowledge from all over the world.”

“A room up on the second floor is completely dedicated to medicine!” Lisa chimed in. “That is where I spend a majority of my time, but there is a laboratory on the opposite side that I often use as well.”

“The idea of my wife having an apprentice is one that never occurred to me, but I am glad that you sought her out. She has been needing help taking care of the clinic.”

Lisa scoffed. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“W… well,” Vlad stuttered. “You often come home telling me how exhausting your work is. You don’t agree that it would be nice to have a little assistance?”

“I never said that!” Lisa countered. “And I have had help in the past! Adrian has come with me several times piror.”

“Yes, and those went _swimmingly_ , didn’t they son?”

Adrian groans and begins to head in the direction of the fireplace. “I will not stand here and be insulted in front of a stranger.”

Your eyebrow raised up in confusion. “What happened when Adrian went with you?”

“Oh now that is a time I will never forget,” Vlad chuckled. “Our son is a wonderful scholar, but he’s absolutely atrocious when it comes to his interpersonal skills.”

“He gets it from his father,” Lisa teased, and laughed at the looks they both gave her. “Right then!” she suddenly exclaimed, and clapped her hands together to get everyone’s attention. “Now that we’ve all met one another, I say it’s high time that we show this lovely lady where she’ll be staying!”

“Wait, staying?” you wondered.

“Of course,” Vlad replied. “You would be staying here, in the castle. I see no point in having you remain in Lupu if you wish to study under my wife. Everything she learned is right here.”

“Oh, there is no way I could accept that… Lisa taking me on is already more than generous--”

“That is enough.” he said, and silenced you with a single stare.

“You said that you hadn’t a home to go back to,” Lisa said, a kind smile on her visage. “This shall be your new home now.”

“I…” you felt your throat close up, and eyes blur as fresh tears prepared to fall. But you shook your head, and sniffed, determined not to cry in front of her yet again. “Thank you.”

“Wonderful!” she cried, and ushered for everyone to follow her as she started to walk out of the library. “How about my husband and I show you where you’ll be staying, hmm?”

You grinned and took after her, overwhelmed that this was all happening to you. “I would like that very much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hoooo boy this chapter is a long one!! it clocked in at almost 4,400 words!! but it's a piece of writing that i am so proud of!! sorry if this was a longer wait than y'all were expecting, but here's chapter two!! i can't thank you all enough for the amazing reception this has gotten in the few weeks it has been up. i hope this chapter was worth the wait!! expect chapter three soon my loves <3


	3. Blue Sheets & Family Mystiques

 

“Here we are!”

Lisa pushed open the door to your bedroom, and your heart swelled at the sight.

It was almost as big as the family room of your childhood home, and it was covered in celeste blue wallpaper that had a pattern of tiny silver lily’s etched into it. Two large windows stood on either side of a beautiful antique desk, and a framed painting of a quaint countryside hung above.

A large ornate bed sat against the wall, and its dark wooden bed posts reached nearly to the ceiling, even the headboard took your breath away.

An intricate carving of a fairy brought a smile to your face. Her head rested against her forearms, eyes downcast and serene as she looked at the flowers and vines that spiraled and curled around her. You recognized them as plants that helped with sleeping, such as chamomile, english ivy, gardenia, and jasmine.

You reached out to touch the bed and were delighted to find a thick, blue cotton comforter with white satin sheets underneath. A frayed white bed skirt surrounded the entire frame, which made it look almost as if you were sleeping on a cloudy blue sky.

A thin, almost translucent veil fell from the tops of the bedposts at the end of the bed, and you guessed that the sheen would be able to obscure your sleeping form, if you chose to keep it closed.

There was a small, pitch colored nightstand to the right, and you gaped at the sight of the nearby armoire. It towered over you, and you admired the craftsmanship, the impressive curves and edges of the wood being quite the sight to behold.

It was absolutely lovely, and the thought passed through your mind that you were undeserving of such a lavish space. But you knew that Lisa, and now Vlad, would fight tooth and nail till you accepted it, so you swallowed your doubt.

“Well? What do you think?”

The discovery of a door hindered you from answering Lisa’s question, and when you pushed it open, you found that you had your own personal bathroom as well, and it was just as extravagant as the bedroom.

You turned back to Lisa, and wiped away a tear that had managed to escape (much to your chagrin). “This…. this is all so much Lisa, I can’t thank you enough.” your voice is slightly hoarse, and you melt under her touch as she walks over to give you a hug.

“Like I said, you are a part of my family now,” she stroked your hair and bopped the tip of your nose with her finger. “And my family deserves the best.”

She hummed softly to herself before she took a firm grip of your hand. “It’s getting late, darling. Why don’t you get some rest, and we can begin our studies in the morning?”

With all of the excitement that had happened in one day, it was only then that you realized how utterly _exhausted_ you were. You rubbed your eyes with the back of your hands, and heard Lisa chuckle.

“See? Mother’s intuition,” she joked, and gave your hand one final reassuring squeeze before she started to trek towards your bedroom door.

She said one last goodnight, before you heard the door shut with a quiet _click_.

You let out a huff, and dug through the contents of your satchel, all the while mumbling of how much of a _mess_ it was.

“Aha!”

Your elated cry rang out through the quiet room as you found what you had been looking for: a lavender scented candle, homemade, of course. You shrugged off your stuffy shawl and went to throw it on the floor, before you decided to not be a complete slob, and instead placed it inside the wardrobe.

“Huh… right,” you muttered, when greeted by a completely empty armoire. “I don’t actually have that many clothes….” an irritated sound rumbled in the back of your throat, but you settled to deal with that issue in the morning.

You crawled into bed, and your assumption from earlier had been right. It _did_ feel like laying on clouds. With a snap of your fingers the candle was lit, and the waves of fresh lavender quickly lulled you to sleep.

* * *

Bright white light unexpectedly streaming into your room is what finally managed to rouse you from your deep slumber.

You let out a loud groan, and made quick haste to duck under the blankets to protect your sensitive eyes from the harsh morning glow of the sun.  
  
“Rise and shine!”

Your head peeks out from under the sheets to find Lisa standing at the foot of your bed, hands on her hips.

She had a determined look in her eyes, and clapped her hands together. “Come on! It’s time to get up!”

You groggily sat up, slightly dazed from being woken up so abruptly. “What time is it?”

“The sun has been up for almost _two_ hours now. It’s time for you to eat something so that we can get started on the day.”

Right. You were to begin studying today.

Lisa cleared her throat and brought your attention back to her, for she had moved to stand in the doorway. “Freshen up if you’d like, but you better be quick about it. I don’t want your breakfast getting cold.”

With that, she disappeared down the hallway and you fumbled out of bed to get ready as fast as possible.

As you stumbled into the bathroom, you were shocked to find anything and everything that you could ever need from a hairbrush to soap to fresh towels. When did those get there?

No matter. You splashed some water on your face and brushed through the tangles in your hair, trying your best to look at least presentable. A grimace formed on your lips when it dawned on you that none of the clothes you had brought were very clean, nor did they seem to fit the posh fashion everyone inside Castlevania sported.

You nervously nibbled on your thumbnail while you began to pace around the room. It wasn’t the end of the world if you asked Lisa to borrow some of her clothes. You doubted that she would be bothered by it… it would just be temporary, until you found the time to make them yourself.

Your footsteps came to a halt in front of your armoire, and you thought it best to take out your dirty clothes that you had shoved in there so that they could at least be washed.

You count yourself lucky that you were currently the only one in the room the moment you opened those doors, for the expression you made would certainly be one that any _sensible_ person would never let you forget.

It was _filled_ with vestments, and _not_ just the extravagant dresses you assumed families of this stature would wear. You spotted an array of lovely tops and pants, and you thanked the stars that was the most common outfit inside. When you reached out to touch them, you assumed they were made of cotton, and discovered a few dresses amongst it all, alongside scarves, shawls, gloves, and several pairs of unworn shoes.

You were absolutely _baffled_ . Where had all of this come from? You could only assume it had been Lisa, but it was impossible for you to fathom that she just _happened_ to have such an assortment of unused garments.

Still in mild shock, you grabbed a pair of brown pants and a yellow long-sleeved shirt and gave them a curious sniff. They smelled of daisies and crisp, fresh water, with just the hint of grass. You remained in utter disbelief as you put it on, mind abuzz with _so_ many questions that you hoped Lisa would answer over breakfast.

You shut your bedroom door with a gentle tug, and as you began to walk down the long hallway, you silently hoped that you’d be able to rely on your memory to make it back to the front entrance of the castle.

However, you found yourself getting distracted by the many paintings that hung on the walls. They were all encased in ornate gold frames, and a variety of motifs graced the canvases. Some were small portraits, some were of landscapes found around Romania, and others were of towering, detailed figures that you could only guess were relatives of the family.

One in particular made you stop in your tracks.

It was easy to recognize Vlad in the middle, but… you could tell that he looked _slightly_ different, almost a little younger. You hadn’t the faintest clue who the women standing beside him were, although the woman to the right’s golden eyes caught your attention, and it was then that you realized she had been in the other painting you spotted on the way to the library yesterday evening.

Even though you weren’t one to make assumptions, you could only guess that she had to be related to Vlad somehow, seeing as she had long black hair, and golden eyes like Adrian. The dress she wore for the portrait was beautiful, a dark red that clung exquisitely to her form, and her long nails, painted a startling silver color, shimmered like knives in the morning light.

The other woman was much older, her hair the color of starlight and eyes as rich as the beryl’s adorned around her neck and fingers. A white sheer shawl was wrapped around her shoulders that accentuated the slim golden dress she wore, its long sleeves draping across the side of the chair that Vlad sat upon.

You noted, with some amusement, that despite her intimidating expression, golden wreaths dusted with sapphires danced amongst the strands of her long hair, adding just the right amount of whimsy to her depiction.

“I was beginning to wonder if you had gotten lost.”

A gasp trapped itself in your throat as the unexpected greeting caught you off guard, the palm of your hand pressed against your chest in an attempt to steady the erratic beating of your heart.

You felt your cheeks heat up as Adrian laughed, obviously finding your embarrassment entertaining. “I’m curious as to what you find so amusing.”

He wore a smirk on his lips and said nothing, his arms folded across his chest while he gazed up at the portrait. “They are quite the pair, are they not?”

“Was it presumptuous of me to assume that they’re all related?”  
  
His eyes glittered, a look of surprised satisfaction shining in the mirthy gold. “You’re quite astute. The woman with the black hair is my aunt, Stefana. She’s a rather spirited individual, but she’s always treated us kindly.”

“She’s very beautiful.”  
  
“Don’t tell her that,” Adrian chuckled. “She might snatch you up if you do.”

“Keen for compliments?”

“Let’s just say she has a soft spot for the female form.”

You smiled, happy that Adrian felt comfortable enough around you to talk about his family life. “And who’s on the left?”

“Father tells me that she is _his_ cousin, so I believe she would be my first cousin once removed. It’s kind of a convoluted mess when I really think about it.”

“I know how that feels,” you replied. “Back home, my mother or grandmother would say that someone was related to us in a way, even though I’m positive they weren’t.”

“Why would they do that?”

“I suppose it was just so I could feel closer to them, give me a reason not to shy away from those I was unfamiliar with in my coven. It worked, we all held each other in our hearts… as though we were just a large family…” your voice trailed off as melancholy drew its wings around you, saddened by the connection you had just made.

A jolt travelled through your body as Adrian placed a hand on your shoulder, almost as if you had been shocked. The action was so sudden, and so unexpected, that you almost drew away from him, but you managed to stop yourself.

“I apologize if this discussion upset you in any way. You looked as though you desired answers while you gazed upon this painting, so, I thought--”

“No! It’s alright!” you blurted out. “I _was_ interested! I just… I just got a little caught up in the past is all, don’t worry about it.” you gave the hand on your shoulder a reassuring squeeze, bemused at his almost flustered reaction.

“Yes… well, like I was saying,” he drew his hand back, opting to put the both of them behind him as he resumed his explanation. “She is my first cousin once removed. Her name is Dumitra, and she is… how can I put this delicately?”

“An absolute horror?”

The both of you whipped around to find Lisa at the end of the hallway, her hair up in a high bun and sporting a white apron dotted with stains.

“Honestly, I leave you alone for ten minutes, expecting you to make your way down to eat some breakfast, and where do I find you? Musing over some paintings.” she gave an exasperated sigh, before a smile slowly found its way back onto her visage. “Well, I suppose it’s not a total loss,” she joined the two of you under the towering stares of the three vampires. “This _is_ a beautiful painting. Look how handsome my husband looks.”

Her comment caused her son to let out an annoyed groan, to which she just laughed at in response.

“You interrupt me to gush over father?”

“Why shouldn’t I? He looks dashing in this portrait.”

You could not help the giggles that managed to escape you at the charming display between Adrian and Lisa. It was innocuous moments like this that you had missed since living on your own.

“Stefana looks wonderful here too. It’s been a mo’ since she’s come ‘round to visit.”

“You know how busy she is, having to look after Caliacra. Not to mention, father tells me that she’s found a new _beau._ ”

“Really?” Lisa gave a delighted little hum. “It’s about time. I thought that other woman she’d been with was simply dreadful.”

“As dreadful as Dumitra?”

“Oh no,” she scoffed. “It’s impossible for anyone to be as _unbearable_ as her.”

“Lisa,” you interjected. “Why do you hate Dumitra so much?”

She froze for a moment, as if collecting her thoughts, before she tried to wave off the question. “Oh, darling, I do not wish to bore you with familial semantics.”

“That’s unfair, mother.” Adrian said.

“How so?”

“You said that she’d be a part of the family now, isn’t that right?” Adrian’s fangs gleamed in the sunlight as his voice lilted with a teasing tone.

“I… yes, I suppose you’re correct--”  
  
“So shouldn’t she know _why_ Dumitra is so insufferable?”

“Since you’re so eager to talk to her, maybe you should explain?” Lisa challenged back, her own smirk finding refuge on her face when she saw Adrian’s cheeks tinge a slight pink.

He quickly regained composure however, and turned his attention back to you. “Dumitra is… an ancient vampire. I remember asking her when I was much younger how old she really was, and father had to intervene before she gave me a right good slap.”

“Yes, I remember that,” Lisa muttered to herself, mouth contorted into a grimace.

“Did you get an answer?” you joked, and Adrian gave you a playful look in return.

“My father has lead me to believe that she’s even older than he is, which I find exceptionally _terrifying._ ”

“I was told that Dracula was where all vampires came from?” you question. “At least, that’s what I’ve read in some books.”

Lisa shook her head. “No, my husband is simply a vampire--albeit a very well lived and powerful one.”

“Dumitra could have beaten my father during her glory days,” Adrian mused, and moved his hand to point at her. “They are not visible here, but she has an array of scars on her back that she displays proudly. She totes them as a trophy of surviving one of the first vampire hunters.”

“Vampire hunters? I never knew such a thing existed.”

Adrian nodded. “Oh yes. There’s a particular clan that tends to give our kind some trouble. Even Stefana has scars on her arms from holy water burns. Although, I believe they’ve been covered up by some lovely henna work done by one of father’s generals. What was her name?”

Lisa bit her lip in contemplation before her face lit up. “Raman! Oh she is such a sweetheart. I saw her a few weeks ago!”

“You don’t say? Nevertheless, being such an… _old fashioned_ woman, Dumitra has had a problem with not only me, but my mother as well.”

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, wondering how anyone could possibly dislike Lisa in any sort of capacity. “Why is that?”

“Well,” Lisa replied, before she shrugged her shoulders. “She is not exactly a fan of the fact that I am human.”

“Is that bad?”

“Certain vampires,” Adrian interjected. “No, let me amend that: _most_ vampires only see humans as fodder, food for the supposed superior race to feast on.”

Your stomach turned at the thought, but it made you remember how much some of your coven hated vampires. A specific memory came to the forefront of your mind, of some younger girls expressing their outright _fear_ towards them. They had shown you the amulets and charm bags that they had created for the sole purpose of repelling these creatures of the night, and that their mothers had even gone so far to inscribe magical runes onto the walls of their home.

“You appear as though you’ve had experience with these types of vampires.” Lisa said, which snapped you out of your train of thought.

You shook your head no. “Fortunately I have not, but I do recall several younger witches being deathly afraid of them. I am always one to judge something myself, especially when it comes to supernatural beings; they must be treated with respect. But I cannot deny being especially careful when it came to walking through the nearby woods on my own.”

Adrian let out a delighted little hum as you said this. “Your intuition is quite remarkable, mother. I cannot think of a more suited person to work with you.”

The compliment caused you to blush, and your eyes darted back to the painting to refrain from looking at the both of them.

“Look how flustered you made her, Adrian!” Lisa jokingly chastised, before she wrapped her hand around yours and gave it a gentle tug.

As you looked up at her with wide eyes, she gave you a delighted smile before she leaned down to whisper, “He’s right you know.”

“Lisa,” you whined, and she burst into laughter.

“Alright, alright, I’ll spare you from any further embarrassment,” she began leading the way down the hallway, both you and Adrian following her long strides.

It was only _slightly_ humiliating that the distance between your bedroom and the kitchen was not only in the opposite direction that you had initially walked, but that it was insurmountably closer than you had originally anticipated.

The kitchen was equally as beautiful and wondrous as the rest of the house, with large windows that allowed for the sunlight to warm even the most northern brick that dotted along the floor. A large wooden table with plenty of luxurious plush chairs around its perimeter stood in the middle of the room and it was covered in a decadent array of food, from eggs to sausages, to bread and the finest local cheeses, to a very delicate tea set steaming with a fresh batch of what smelled like lavender tea.

Even the tea cups were magical, the most delicate of porcelain that had hand painted watercolor roses as their motif. A thin line of gold graced the rim, and made up the handle, a tiny plate with tiny pink roses lining the outside being its accompanying piece.

You were awestruck, your eyes as wide as the saucers in front of you. This looked like a feast fit for kings, and it was merely breakfast!

Lisa pushed you down into one of the chairs before you could begin berating her with thanks and telling her that she, “shouldn’t have done all this for you!”

The meal was as delicious as it looked, but something that surprised you more than the bountiful breakfast in your plate, was that Vlad was enjoying food with them as well, albeit, a much smaller amount than his wife and son.

You were a bit puzzled to say the least, as you had always heard that Dracula could not bare to be the sunlight, and you thought it was common knowledge that vampires get sick eating regular human food.

Vlad appeared to read your thoughts, a devilish smirk on his face as he took a sip of his golden goblet. “You seem to have several questions buzzing around in that head of yours, little one.”

You flushed, and averted your gaze, as you shoved a piece of bread into your mouth.

“There’s no need to be so bashful. I enjoy a curious mind.”

You looked over at Lisa for reassurance, and she gave you a kind smile and a nod of her head. Swallowing the bread you nearly choked down your throat, you took your attention instead to the bright morning sun that grazed his sharp features.

“I read that vampires cannot stand being in the sunlight?”

He hummed to himself. “Ah yes, a particularly popular rumor… I think _Helsing_ had something to do with that,” he mused, but turned back to you after his moment to himself. “I can say that spending too much time in the sun could be harmful, but, sitting here, just barely out of its direct rays will not harm me.”

“I see,” you mumbled, and then focused on Adrian. “So, since you’re a dhampir, you can go in _direct_ sunlight thanks to your mother, yes?”

“Exactly.” Vlad answered. “I like this one. She’s keen to pick up things.”

“I _told you_ that she was a worthy apprentice!” Lisa sang as she gathered up the empty plates and cups. She placed them the large sink, using a large pump to get water to start running across them.

You walked over to her, offering your assistance, which Lisa greatly accepted. She decided to clean all of the dishes, and then hand them to you to dry.

As she held out a dripping plate for you, she gave you a nudge and a playful smile. “Once this is all cleaned up,” her eyes twinkled with excitement. “It’s about time that we head to the library and start studying, don’t you think?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone!! i'm BACK. i did not plan on having such a long break between chapters, but spring semester kicked my ass. but guess what? i Graduated Y'ALL. so guess who has time to work on a fic? this bitch. anyways, tysm to all of the new followers this has garnered in the past couple months. it really helps me stay encouraged to work on this, knowing that people like it so much!! i hope this chapter was worth the wait <3


	4. Light After Dark

 

True to her word, as soon as things were cleaned up in the kitchen, Lisa was leading you up to the library that had all of the medical textbooks. You went up several winding staircases and through at least a dozen hallways, and you realized, to your dismay, that you were going to have to have Lisa lead you here for quite awhile before you felt brave enough to walk here on your own.

When the both of you finally made it to an arched doorway, she pushed it open and all of the candles simultaneously came alight.

You noticed that this library was a lot smaller than the one you had been in last night, but that did not mean it was any less magnificent. The ceiling was a large glass dome that stretched up high above your heads. Small circular windows lined the north and south panes, each filled with beautiful, intricate, stained glass designs of stars and planets.

Twisted shelves covered every flat surface, filled and piled high with thick books, ancient books, books whose titles even you could not decipher. There were multiple desks that stood in front of the massive towers of books, made of rich, dark oak that shimmered almost black in the sunlight.

Parchments had been slapped on any free surface, all of them filled from top to bottom with diagrams of the human body, certain organs, or even classifications of plants and minerals. One of the most cluttered desks had piles upon piles of parchment, all of them scribbled with extensive notes. There was a large stack of quills, coated in ink, some of them looking as though the top half had snapped off. Beakers lined one corner, obviously having been scrubbed clean, as the water droplets that clung to the glass glistened like morning dew.

“I see that you’ve found my work station,” Lisa admits sheepishly. “It’s not the most organized, but its my space and where I have found to be the most productive for me.

“I was not judging you, Lisa,” you teased. “My mother certainly did not get her tidiness from my grandmother, let me tell you.”

Lisa chuckled, and walked you over to a nearby desk that had been placed nearly adjacent to hers. “This is where you will be seated whenever you need to come here and do some independent study, but when you must sit next to me, there will be a chair but beside my desk. You can also use that if you ever had any questions!”

You gave an elated smile, and ran your fingers across the smooth surface. “So,” you said. “What is the first lesson on the agenda?”

* * *

The two of you spent the rest of the morning, as well as most of the afternoon, in the library. Lisa had took the time to go over the very basics of human anatomy as a refresher, as you only had a very vague concept of the body. She wanted you to familiarize yourself with each part, and she made it much easier to remember by breaking up the body into what she called, “systems”.

There were 12 of these systems that ran throughout the human body. There was one to help you breathe, (respiratory!) one that dealt with your nerves (nervous!), and even one that contained solely your blood vessels (circulatory!). It was quite extraordinary.

She stressed that it was important for you to know all of this so that you could adequately pinpoint where the problem was and then be able to do the necessary tests to make a diagnosis.

Even when you countered that you could easily heal simple coughs or fevers with your magic, she wanted you to understand where they came from, and not just rely on your skills to be a good physician.

Luckily, when she started to touch on the treatment options available, you were much more familiar with these terms, as they were all plants! If there was one thing you knew you were capable of, it was making a good potion or tonic.

Even Lisa was impressed by your mastery of herbology, and you went so far as to offer her some tips after she gave you several samples of a brew she had been in the process of perfecting. It had been for the treatment of a respiratory infection, and after seeing the astonishing amount of ingredients Lisa had at her disposal, you offered that she add more starburrs and aloe, picking up that her potion lacked the clearing effects of getting rid of mucus, and the soothing effect patients needed for their chest tightness.

You believed that it had been an incredibly eventful day, your arms filled with an array of books and several rolls of parchment as you sat back down in front of your desk. You had chosen texts that were all about liver, not really knowing all that much about it, except, like your grandmother had stressed _so many times,_ it takes care of all the alcohol.

Not like you had ever been too big of a fan of drinking to begin with.

You dipped your quill into some ink, and started to take some notes, your eyes widening when you read that it was capable of regenerating itself.

You had no idea how long you spent in the library, your yellow sleeves getting dotted with stray ink, with some ending up on your nose after pushing your hair out of your eyes. You had moved on from the liver, having conquered other important organs such as the big and small intestine, the appendix, and the kidneys.

Your intense focus was suddenly broken by a tapping on your shoulder, which caused you to nearly leap out of your skin.

“Whoa!” Lisa exclaimed, her hands up in surrender. “It’s only me!”

You froze, pink dusting your cheeks in embarrassment. “Oh! I’m so sorry!” you blurted out. “I just… get really caught up in my work…”  
  
She gave you a pat on the shoulder. “It’s alright, I know what that’s like. I just wanted to see if you would like to join us for dinner?”

At the mention of food, your stomach let out a loud growl that caused you to flush while Lisa laughed.

“I guess that answers that,” she said, and while you thought you were heading to the kitchen, she instead lead you to an amazing dining hall.

A beautiful, long table was the main center of attention, its legs being dark claws that clung greedily to the plush red carpet underneath. The top was a glistening marble that glowed under the candles that hung above in an extravagant chandelier, topped by a soft red runner. Silver candelabras hung from the walls, large Renaissance paintings of food, feasts, and parties adding just the right amount of color and pop to the black and gold wallpaper.

Once again, a decadent feast adorned the tabletop and your mouth watered at the sight. There was a large rotisserie chicken topped with an array of herbs and surrounded by vegetables like potato, zucchini, onion, carrot, and squash. There were fancy cheeses, golden loaves of bread, expensive wine, and a pot of steaming homemade soup.

Lisa had made herself comfortable beside Vlad, who was sitting across his son.

Adrian already had his plate filled with his pickings, and he gave you a smile from across the room as he took a sip from his goblet, presumably of some of the red wine.

“So, Hippocrates decides to join us.” Vlad teased, biting down on the piece of chicken at the end of his fork.

Adrian burst out laughing, having to grab his napkin to cover his mouth as he entered a coughing fit.

You huffed, annoyed that Adrian found this so funny, arms folded across your chest as you sat down beside him. “I don’t see what’s so amusing,” you repeated, “He just compared me to the father of medicine. I would say that’s quite the compliment.” you stated matter-of-factly, cutting yourself a piece of chicken and pouring yourself some soup.

“She’s well-versed in the history as well,” Vlad said, a smile on his face. “Impressive.”

You grinned, shooting Adrian another glare as he continued to chuckle. The dinner was delicious, and it surprised you how quickly you had grown comfortable around Lisa’s family. It had only been a day, but you could not have felt more at home.

As you helped Adrian collect the dirty dishes, Lisa poured a coffee for herself and her husband, who gave her a kiss on the cheek as she leaned down to fill his cup.

Your eyes glazed over in happiness, filled with a small bundle of peace after witnessing such pure affection. As you turned on your heel to head in the direction of the kitchen, Vlad calling out for you stopped you in your tracks.

“Oh, little one, I almost forgot: meet me in my study before you head back to the library. There is something that I would like to discuss.”

Your voice trembled slightly as you replied, “O...oh, alright.” your arms shaking a bit as dread starting to poison that previous sensation of contentment.  You snuck a glance at Lisa before you exited the room, and although you felt some relief for how calm and normal she looked, the thought of being alone in a small room with one of the most powerful vampires still made you incredibly nervous.

Even though the dishes were being taken care of in an efficient manner, you almost wished that it had taken longer so that you could stall this conversation. You tried to assure yourself that it was not over anything bad, you knew that Lisa would never willingly let you be placed in a dangerous situation. Perhaps… perhaps he just wanted to discuss something?

You nibbled on your thumbnail as you followed after Lisa, who had come over to fetch you and direct you to Vlad’s study.

 _It’s fine…_ you think to yourself. _You just need to relax. I’m sure it’s nothing._

Lisa stopped in front of a doorway, and you could hear the distinct sound of a fire cracking. She gave you the indication to step inside and you took head of her invitation.

The room was smaller than others you had been in, with a large pointed chair in the middle of an ornate red carpet with intricate golden details. A portrait of Lisa holding a bouquet of white lilies hung on the wall in a beautiful frame, a large bookshelf sitting beside it, neatly filled with hundreds of books. A marble fireplace held the fire that occasionally popped and hissed as embers danced along the iron gate blocking them from singeing the rug.

Above the fireplace was another portrait, this one hung in a more oval frame, and you realized it was of Lisa, Vlad, and Adrian when he was only a baby. Your lips curled into a smile at seeing Adrian, so small and adorable, with tuffs of golden hair on his round head, held in the arms of a beaming Lisa. Vlad looked rather dashing in his suit, and he glowed with a sense of pride, one of his hands resting gently upon his son’s small shoulders.

“I’m glad that you could join me,” Vlad’s voice suddenly called out to you.

You jumped from surprise and whirled around to find him standing beside a tall mirror. You could have sworn that he had not been here a moment earlier…

He unclasped his cloak from around his neck and draped it across the top of the chair before you. His boots tapped softly against the rug, the tall vampire pouring himself a cup of tea once he situated himself.

He took a sip, a content sigh falling from his lips. “Sit,” he stated, and gestured to the small chair in front of him, a small table standing in between the both of you with an additional tea cup and a large tea kettle.

You nervously took your seat, and you fidgeted a bit, fingers twirling around a stray thread from your shirt.

Vlad poured you some tea as well, and you accepted the drink with a quiet thank you.

After several moments of silence of the both of you sipping your tea, the fire crackling behind you, he finally made to speak.

“I wanted to preface this by saying that I am in no way upset with you, if you were worried about that.”

You let out a breath you did not know you had been holding, tension releasing itself from your shoulders as he said this. “Was it that obvious?” you laughed, and he gave you a smile.

“The fact that you even came to join me let’s me know that you trust not only me, but my wife as well. I know how… well, scary, I can seem,” he chuckled. “Even if you are a witch, you are not a fool.”

You gave a sigh of relief, before you let out a quiet laugh at his statement. “I appreciate it.”

Vlad’s smile broke a little, and you saw his eyes cloud over a bit, from what, you could not tell. “You won’t appreciate what I am about to ask you. I ask you to forgive me but…” he was silent, before he leaned forward. “I need you to tell me what happened to your coven.”

Had you not been so comfortably seated in your chair, you might have just collapsed at what Vlad just asked you to do. The world seemed to crumble around you, lip trembling as you swallowed back tears. Instinctively, you shoved your hands into your pockets and pulled out a charm bag, dumping out its contents to grab a necklace that had been created around a piece of amber infused with black obsidian and flecks of rose quartz.

It had been the last birthday gift that you received from your mother, a powerful amulet of protection. You carefully put it around your neck, and allowed the stone to rest near the dip between your breasts, pressing it against your hammering heart.

You were grateful that Vlad had remained quiet during all of this, worried that you would not have been able to handle someone immediately berating you with questions.

“Take your time,” he said softly.

You gave him a nod, and after a couple deep breaths, you opened your eyes. “Thank you… for letting me collect myself. I… needed a minute…” you whispered, voice a little hoarse.

“Not at all,” his tone was calm, soothing. “If ever you need to stop, let me know. I want you to take as long as needed, you’re in no rush.”

“Thank you…” after taking one last calming breath, you started to retell your story, the story of how you lost your entire family.

“It had been at night,” you recall. “My grandmother had mumbled something about a bad feeling, as though she could sense the anger in the atmosphere. It was a dark night… pitch black, and the ocean….she churned, she was so… so _violent_. I had never seen the ocean look like that before. My mother simply said that a storm was coming, it was nothing more. But, I believed my grandmother.”

You took a sip of tea, lips pursed, before you continued. “She and a couple other witches, older wise women that had been in my grandmother’s original coven, were all saying the same thing, that there was an omen on the horizon, and although quite a few other witches were keen to believe them, we just thought they were saying all this because the ocean was in a fit and we could not feel the moon’s presence on us. If only… if only we had listened.

I had been asleep, before being woken up by screams… so many screams. My mother was frantically running around, I could hear her. She was yelling something at my grandmother, and then she was in my room, pulling me up and ushering me out the front door. I was so confused… I had no idea what was going on. Outside was pure chaos. There were fires as far as my eye could see, the flames licking at my face and the trees in the nearby forest. I could pick up on witches crying out spells, and we’d occasionally see the glow of protective runes being activated.

My mother had her wand in her hand… an ancient thing, made of elm… her hand was clasped tightly around mine, and as we ran, we found other families that had been calling out for any familiar faces. We eventually ended up as a group of maybe six or seven children, and five adult witches. We were nearly at the edge of the forest, where we could hide and be protected, before… before we ran into them…”

You stomach churned with disgust and your eyes welled up with tears as your pictured the men that had blocked your path to freedom. “It was a group of priests in red robes… they had these _smiles_ on their faces…the cruelest expression that you could possibly imagine, as though they were starving cats that had happened upon a pack of terrified rats.

We tried to fight them off, but they were just too many of them… it’s as if they were hydras. Absolute beasts... and I remember…. I remember the things they did to my sisters… the horrible, _filthy_ things they did… the _tools_ that they had…”

Your whole body was trembling with rage, angry tears trailing down your cheeks as your gripped the edge of your seat for dear life. “My mother….” your voice faltered. “My mother…! She… she sacrificed herself! To save me!” you exclaimed, more tears leaking from your eyes.

“She and I had been one of the few who had not been captured, and… and she told me to run, to find the secret paths of the forest nymphs. We had been in good standing with them for centuries, as my coven protected both the sea and the woods that bordered our small community. So… I… I ran, I ran into those woods like she said, but…”

You gritted your teeth, voice coming out in a sob. “She didn’t follow me… a barrier materialized right before my eyes, shimmering like gold. It had been a barrier of protection… the last act of selflessness that my mother performed before being captured. I… I wanted to go back, to try and save her, but…. I ran. I ran… and ran until I could not breathe and collapsed under a tree… dirty, tired, and… so…. helplessly... alone.”

Your vision blurred as tears cascaded down your face, a strangled gasp leaving your throat as your began to cry. “They took everything from me… _everything_.” you heaved, a disdainful look in your eyes as you sat back in your chair. “Pray tell, what kind of God would let his servants kill innocent women and children?”

Vlad’s dark red eyes shone dangerously in the firelight, hands clasped together as he formed a steeple with his fingers. “I have discovered throughout my hundreds of years on this planet, that mankind is nothing more than a miserable little pile of secrets. Scared little things that would rather destroy and chalk up phenomena they do not understand to the metaphysical.”

He leaned forward and placed a strong grip on your shoulder. “I am terribly sorry for all of the loss that you have suffered at the hands of ignorant, scared little men. Your mother was a brave woman, a strong woman. I’m sure you are very proud of her and the rest of your coven.”

You nodded your head. “Yes… I often find myself filled with such rage that I can barely think… but I lived with the nymphs for some time, and they helped me channel these feelings of resentment into something constructive. It was through their teachings that I became so well-versed in the knowledge of herbology.”

“You are very wise not letting this hate consume you. Too many times have I seen good, honorable men fall under the spell of this deadly obsession,” Vlad said, as he released your shoulder and poured more tea into your cup.

Thanking him, you take a large gulp, only now just realizing how dry your throat had become. “If it would not be too presumptuous of me to ask,” you began. “Do… would it be alright if I headed to the library? I need to clear my head.” you confessed, a strained smile on your visage.

Vlad nodded, his large hand going to ruffle the hair on the top of your head. “You did very well, little one. My only wish is that you do not stay up all night working, for I know how easy it is to lose track of time when immersed in your studies.”

“I will make sure to head to bed at a… reasonable hour,” you said, thanking Vlad for his kindness once more, before you headed back to the library.

Your mind was so abuzz with thought that it was difficult for you to concentrate. It was almost as if you were in a thick fog, uncertain of where to go. As you sat down in front of your desk, you were thankful that Lisa kept a stash of scented candles around to dull the smell of stale old books.

With the flick of your finger you had lit the wick of a candle that had reminded you of fresh rain, pulling out books on the brain and known diseases, topics you knew would be complicated enough to keep you stimulated and wash away the unwanted memories.

The moon hung high in the sky, her bright white rays resting upon your shoulders as you scribbled down notes on a spare bit of parchment. You could sense her as she moved across the sky, an obvious indication of how long you had already been at work.

As she continued her slow trek across the night, you could feel your eyelids grow heavy, but you tried pushing through the exhaustion.

_Just let me finish this last sentence…!_

Your body won over this battle against your brain, your eyes slipping shut and head resting against your arms as sleep fell upon you.

* * *

Something… something was tugging on your hair.

Was it morning already? Had you really slept the entire night at your _desk_? Well, that’s embarrassing--

“ _Excuse_ me?”

That didn’t sound like Lisa.

You groaned, body cracking and muscles aching as you rose from your sleeping position. You rubbed your eyes with the back of your hand, before you went to massage your sore neck. To your surprise, there was no one around you. So, who had said that--?

“ _Excuse me!_ ”

You felt another tug, and you whirled around to find… a fairy.

“A fairy?” you exclaimed.

“How rude!” she snapped, hands on her hips. “The name is Aria, thank you very much!”

She could not have been any bigger than a children’s doll, and one could have almost mistaken her for one, with her porcelain white skin and big blue eyes. She had long blond hair that shone like strands of gold in the low candlelight, and she sported a blue dress with a slit down the middle fluttered that around her legs, which were covered by tiny white boots. Sprinkles of fairy dust trailed from out of her wings, beautiful little things that looked almost like a dragonflies.

“Aria, huh?” you said. “What brings you here? I would think that someone such as yourself would rather be outside in the woods than in some dark castle?”

“I live here!” she shouted.

“Really?” you drawled, surprised at her answer.

“Do not speak to me as though I am a child, witch.” she hissed. “My master wanted to come in here to study, and what do I find? You, asleep at a desk!”

“Master?” you repeated.

“She means me.”

Adrian makes himself known from a nearby corner in the room, lounging lazily against an empty desk.

Aria flew over to where he stood, and then pointed at you. “I was making sure that you would have a nice, quiet place to practice, and I find _her_ in here!” she shouted.

“Guess I can venture a guess and say that she’s not a fan of me?” you ask, getting up out of your seat and stretching out your sore muscles.

“She means well,” Adrian said, and walked over to join you where you stood, a tome tucked under his right arm.

Aria plopped herself onto his shoulder, her tiny hands grasping at his long locks of hair, humming quietly as she busied herself by braiding several strands.

“She certainly has an attitude,” you snap, and give her a smirk as she sticks her tongue out at you. “What’s this I hear about you coming in here to “practice”? You do know that this is the library dedicated to medical science?”

“Of course. I came up here to practice my healing magic.” Adrian responded, and opened the book he had with him. It was a magical tome, one that was written specifically about healing spells.

Your eyes widened at the sight and you made to grab it to look through it yourself, but Adrian quickly snatched it away before you could do so.

“Don’t be childish,” you grumbled. “I just want to flip through it. I will give it right back. If anyone knows a thing about healing spells, it’s me.”

“You’re not the only one who knows magic in this castle.” he challenged.

“Oh really?” you snapped back. “Well, if you’re so confident, why don’t you show me some of this magic?”

You noticed that his eyes widened slightly at the test, but he gave you a confident stare as he put down his book and ordered Aria to take a seat on your shoulder-- much to her dismay.

“So, what have you got for us?” you questioned.

“I’ve recently mastered the skill of transmutation.”

A whistle rang out from your lips. “Now _that_ is some impressive magic. Only witches vying for the title of supreme have been able to pull that off.”

Adrian smirked. “Well then, all the more impressive that I can do this.” he said, and closed his eyes.

For a moment, he stood there, completely still, before he flitted out of view, as though you were trying to focus your vision. In a second, he reappeared on the opposite side of the room, a triumphant grin on his face as Aria started cheering and doing loops in the air.

“See?” he cried, clearly proud of himself. “What did I tell you?”

He disappeared again, only to reappear in front of you. “Seems as though I am magically gifted as well.” He vanished before you could say anything, but you knew that this cockiness would do nothing but bite him in the ass.

Karma came much quicker than you expected, for the third time he tried to transmutate, he ran straight into one of the bookshelves, causing a pile to tumble on top of him as he collapsed onto the ground.

Try as hard as you might, but you could not suppress the laughter that bounded out of you after seeing this. Your voice rang throughout the library, arms clutching at your sides as you absolutely lost it.

You could hear Aria yelling how rude you were before she raced off to try and help Adrian, but you couldn’t care less. A tear managed to slide down your cheek, and you wiped it off, finding it ironic that you were crying out of happiness, when a mere few hours ago, it had been tears of utter sadness.

Aria was trying her best to get the books off of him, but they were much too heavy for her. She nearly dropped one onto his foot, before you caught it within your grasp. 

“Let me help you with that,” you said, offering Adrian your hand.

He looked up at you and accepted your assistance, his chilled skin causing goosebumps to run across your arm.

You hoisted him back up on his feet, a slight flush on your cheeks when you realized how close the both of you were. You immediately relinquished your grip and took several steps back, laughing nervously.

“Transmutation, huh? I mean, even I can’t do that! So, that was pretty impressive! Well, before… you know…” you trailed off awkwardly, shying under his intense gaze.

He suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, the sound causing your heart to skip a beat and butterflies to flutter in your stomach. It was strange, seeing this stoic, composed man act so… so human.

“I’m glad that you appreciated the show,” he said, running his fingers through his hair to settle himself down. “Even if it ended in utter disaster.”

“That’s alright,” you replied. “It took me quite a while to master my pyrokinesis. Whenever I would practice, I usually ended up setting something on fire. Oh, there was this one time, I accidentally lit my mother’s ceremonial robes on fire,” you cringed at the memory, but gave a smile small as Adrian laughed. “It just takes practice.”

“Practice…” he hummed. “As much as Aria can try and argue against this, my original intentions for coming up here were to ask if you could help me in the practice of magic.”

“What?!” Aria shrieked. “Master Alucard, surely there is no need for you to--” she was silenced by Adrian putting a finger against her mouth, the fairy glaring at him before she stomped her foot and landed on his head in a huff.

“Surely you must have gotten some practice at your mother’s clinic,” you said, as you recalled Vlad and Lisa’s conversation on Adrian once working there.

He grimaced at the mention. “Yes… well, I _did_ want to earn some experience helping her there, but after a particularly nasty incident, mother thought it best if I remain at home in pursuit of my studies.”

“Would you mind telling me what happened?”

“It’s not an embarrassing memory,” he said. “It’s merely that… well, I had been helping mother for two weeks or so, and things had been going fine. It was not until this _woman_ walked in, that things started to take a sour turn.”

Your eyebrows raise in piqued interest. “Woman?”

“She came in with an infected leg, a nasty thing, one look at it would tell you as much. I asked her what had happened, and she told me that she had received a cut while working one day, and instead of cleaning and wrapping the wound… she had tried _cutting out_ the small infected tissue, which of course, only made it worse.”

“ _What_?” you gasp, completely boggled.

“Exactly!” Adrian exclaimed. “I was completely dumbfounded after she told me this, and I asked her why she would do such a thing. She said that’s what her neighbors had told her to do, and that she had merely come to me for some sort of tonic to dull the pain until it healed.”

“At that point, it would have made the most sense to cut it off.” you commented.

“I was thinking the same thing, but she just kept insisting that it was not serious and it was going to go away on its own--!” he let out a frustrated growl as he told the story. “One thing led to another and, well, we got into a rather _heated_ argument. I was _this_ close to losing it before mother stepped in and took care of the situation.”

You looked up at Adrian, a small smirk on your face. “When you say “heated argument”, does that mean you said something to her? I don’t think Lisa would essentially kick you out for debating with a belligerent patient.”

Adrian went quiet, his gaze darting away from you as he cheeks flushed a very faint pink. “I… may or may not have called her an “insolent fool”, one who’s lucky she’s alive believing that kind of codswallop.”

You nodded, as giggles threatened to erupt from your mouth. “That’ll do it.”

Adrian looked back down at you, and that was game over, the two of you bursting into a fit of raucous laughter.

“Oh, please don’t tell me that those are the kinds of people I’ll be dealing with,” you said, as the both of you began the walk to your bedrooms.

“Thankfully those are the outliers. Most of the villagers that come in are very nice,” he said. “They were very grateful that my mother was there, for every other person they had come across claiming to be a physician was nothing more than a crazy old woman who promised that drinking a brew of leaves and acorns would cure their rhumatismes.”

“Lisa is such a wonderful and smart woman… I’m so grateful that she’s accepted me into your home.” you said, and gave him a bright smile. “I’ve only been here a day, but I feel so at home here… as though I’ve finally found my place.”

He returned your smile, and stopped as you find yourselves in front of your bedroom door. “You never answered my question.”

Your eyes flitted up to look at him, and they twinkled with mischief as you rocked back and forth on the soles of your feet. “You really want to learn more about magic?”

He nodded. “My father is a powerful sorcerer, and I think your teaching, combined with his advice, will be able to help me perform at my full potential.”

“Alright,” you replied, without missing a beat. “I will help you, but! You better make sure to dial that arrogance down a couple levels when we’re together. If you’re not willing to listen, you will learn nothing.”

“Understood,” he said and took a hold of your hand, lifting it to his lips so he could place a kiss along your knuckles. “Rest well, then. I will see you in the morning.”

Your heart hammered in your chest, hand hanging limply at your side as he disappeared down the dark hallway with Aria trailing silently behind him. You felt light on your feet as you danced over to your bed, feeling excited at the prospect of teaching the son of darkness all of your magical secrets.

 _Yeah,_ you thought. _I’m definitely home._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hehehehe SURPRISE!!! >:3 i got TWO chapters written today!! i hit such a good stride, that i thought: why not write two chapters? so that's what i did!! you get some more backstory in this one, and some cute moments with adrian. afterall, this IS an adrian/reader fic. oh! and shoutout to my friend morgan!! she's the one who came up with aria's name, who's based off of the fairy familiar in symphony of the night!! give her a follow @princessmorgan. she's super talented!! i hope you enjoyed this chapter lovelies!! i promise the next update won't come in 4 months ;w;
> 
> see you later!!


	5. Whispers in the Garden

 

The following weeks were filled with diligent study in the medical library, which was beginning to feel more and more as an extension of your bedroom. You had filled up so many rolls of parchment that you had trouble keeping a tab on all of the notes that you wrote down. It was becoming particularly difficult for you to find specific information as well, since your desk drawers were packed to the absolute brim with parchment.

Lisa, never one to leave such problems unnoticed, went ahead and purchased you a basket full of thick, soft brown leather journals, and a pile of fresh, new quills. It had honestly been a blessing, and being able to take notes within the safe, organized confines of a journal gave you time to organized the mess of scrolls that you had _sort of_ neglected for a few days.

Not only were you hard at work studying with Lisa, but you spent a few hours every night with Adrian, assisting him in his studies on magic. It quickly became apparent that he had a very basic understanding of what magic entailed, knowing that, at the very least, it required the caster to have _intent_.

“What is so important about this “intent”?” he had a hint of annoyance in his tone. “I heard several Speakers that my father has invited over discuss this whole concept of _intent._ It does not sound very scientific.”

“That’s because it isn’t,” you counter. “The idea of intent… it’s less of an idea, as it is a sensation. You feel it in the very marrow of your bones, in the very center of your being. You carry belief, and the strength necessary to make this vision come to fruition. Therefore, with the proper amount of intent, any kind of magic is possible. However, you need to be able to have belief in this intent in order for it to do its job.”

Adrian was silent during your whole explanation, and a few moments passed before he nodded in understanding. “I see… so, I need to approach this less logically?”

“Yes!” you cried out triumphantly. “It is good and well to have this… strong, scientific curiosity that can only be satiated by reading and learning and experimenting. But, you need to take your head out of the lab and understand that there are forces that even science cannot explain,” you close your eyes and press your hand to his chest.

Nothing seemed to be happening, but then a warm, yellow light started to emanate from your palm. You hear Adrian gasp quietly in shock, a small smile on your lips as you remove your hand, a cheeky expression on your face.

“What was that?” he sputtered out.

“That was a glimpse of your aura,” you said. “I could sense it very faintly between the very tips of my fingers,” you look down at your hand and wiggle said digits. “It was warm, but a little reluctant to come out. I could feel that it was yellow… but just a hint darker…” you mutter to yourself.

“Does that mean something?” he questioned.

“Yellow usually has a connection to the source of all your bodies energy, and it appears that all of your energy is being honed in on studies.”

Adrian blinks, slight disbelief written across his visage before he folds his arms across his chest in a slight huff. “Well that is just plainly obvious, anyone that saw me as much as you do could guess that I have been spending a lot of time reading.”

You flushed, angry that he had reacted so defensively to your reading. “I… I mean, yes, you could say that but the dark I had picked up,” you began, before he cut you off abruptly.

“What of it?”

You bristled, getting more and more annoyed with this sudden attitude of his by the minute. “There are feelings of…” your eyebrows furrowed, confused as to why you sensed _negative_ emotions. “Being under pressure, as though you have been pushing yourself to some extremes in order to improve…” you glance over at Adrian, concern flashing in your eyes for a brief moment as he stared at you.

He cleared his throat, looking away from you as he started to pack up his things. “I think that should be enough for today,” he said, and stood up out of his chair.

You nodded, still in a daze after what you had just said. You bid him goodnight, and once your door had been shut, you let out a long exhale.

“What was that about?” you whispered, slipping off your clothes to put on a much softer nightgown.

You snapped your fingers to light a honey and peppermint scented candle, as you crawled into bed and snuggled into the blankets.

 _He’s hiding something,_ you thought. _It’s as though he’s feeling… inadequate. Why could that be?_  

You took a deep breath in an attempt to clear your head, as you closed your eyes and tried to fall asleep.

* * *

The next morning began like every other, with you being woken up by Lisa coming into your room and announcing that it was time to get up. Quickly getting ready and dressed for the day, you ate breakfast with the rest of the Tepes family, although, you had to admit, that you were a little nervous to sit next to Adrian after what had happened last night.

As you sat there, sipping on your tea, and munching on a piece of buttered bread coated in raspberry jelly, you either suspected that he had forgotten the incident, or decided to ignore it, as he carried on an amicable conversation with his mother and father. You were frankly relieved, not wanting to have been the cause of drama between the family that had so graciously welcomed you into their home.

Once everyone had finished their breakfast, you helped Lisa wash and put away the dish ware as you always did. Drying your hands on a dish towel, you leaned against the counter as Lisa put away the final forks and knives into their appropriate drawers.

“So, do you just want to meet me at the library?” you asked her. “I finally know how to get there on my own without getting horribly lost.” you joked.

She chuckled and gave you a smile. “Now you can come and go whenever you please!” she exclaimed, as she continued to laugh. “However, we will not be going to the library today.”

“Oh?”

Lisa gave you a wink and bopped the tip of your nose. “I’m going to take you somewhere _special_ today.”

A burst of excitement surged through your veins as she said this, with just a hint of intrigue creeping in as your mind attempted to try and solve the exact nature of this mystery location.

When Lisa wrapped up everything in the kitchen, she told you to follow her and she made quick haste to lead you around hallways in the castle you never even knew existed. The journey, however, was not very long, and you soon found yourself exiting the echoing halls of Castlevania and entering a magnificent outdoor garden.

There were so many different flowers and other species of plants that it was honestly a little overwhelming. A multitude of roses dotted the landscape, either in big, bristly bushes, or entangling themselves up large, white trellises. There were pink roses, red roses, white roses, and even black roses. There were lilac trees and wildflowers and even a couple fruit trees. Apple blossoms fell from a nearby tree, their smell drifting in the wind as the two of you made your way deeper into the garden.

A large hedge maze stood several feet away, green ivy sprouting from its crevices with birds chirping from their nests amongst all of the leaves. A cobblestone pathway led from the patio all the way to the entrance, which was surrounded by several small gurgling fountains as water shout out from the creative spouts of fish and tiny cupid angels.  

Large pots filled with tulips, daisies, and dog roses lined the walkway, and you let out an elated gasp as a flock of white doves cooed and chirped as the two of you passed by. The birds seemed intrigued by your presence, but appeared more inclined to flock around Lisa.

“I don’t have have food!” she cried out and waved her hands at the doves. “Go on, shoo!” she clapped loudly several times and the perturbed birds flew back in surprise, hooting and cooing as they bobbed their heads in search of lunch elsewhere.

“Don’t get in the habit of giving them any sort of seeds,” Lisa grumbled. “They came last spring when I was being more generous with feeding the wildlife, and they haven’t left the garden since.”

You giggled. “I’m sure they’re just grateful that they’ve found such a lovely home.”

The both of you rounded a corner and were now walking down a grassy path, wild berry bushes and wild plants blooming all around you. This appeared to be an area that was less used by humans, and you soon found out the reason why.

A large, ornate greenhouse stood a little ways away. It was made of wood, humble in its size, it look no bigger than a common shed. Nevertheless, it was a thing of beauty. All of the windows were covered in beautiful stained glass designs, a motif that followed it from its towering gothic cousin.

The doors especially took your breath away. A glittering, glass monarch butterfly design, with its wings spread out wide, decorated the very top of the pointed entrance. Meanwhile, opulent windows surrounded the actual doorway, covered in clear flowers and vibrant crystals, colored in bright blues and purples.

“This place is beautiful,” your voice is filled with wonder and awe, feeling like a kid in a candy store as you walk in and are completely enveloped by _nature_.

Large stone tiles served as the walkway within the greenhouse, otherwise, you’d threaten to step on the herbs and flowers that grew in every available nook and cranny. You noticed that there was quite a sophisticated irrigation system, with a long trough surrounding the perimeter of the room, making it easy for water to flow freely to all of the plants.

A small pond was in one corner, lily pads blooming with lotuses had large, green bullfrogs hopping from leaf to leaf. Dragonflies skied across the clear surface of the water, occasionally flying by a cattail and clinging to the reed instead as turtles made their way from the bottom to bask on rocks surrounded by pickerel and arrowhead flowers.

Lisa directed your attention to the large wooden tables that held most of the other plants, and you realized that these pots were filled with almost every medically relevant flora you had ever seen.

“Is this where you get your medicine stock from?” you wondered, as you gingerly stroked the thick leaves of an aloe vera plant.

Lisa nodded her head. “Yes. My husband quickly picked up on how much I enjoyed gardening, so he built me this greenhouse so that I could have the freshest of ingredients for my tonics.”

“I’m not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that this would be what my personal Heaven would look like,” you confessed.

A genuine blush rose to Lisa’s cheeks when you said this, and her flustered hands almost dropped a pair of clippers that she had brought to cut off leaf stems. “Oh you are too kind,” she whispered.

“It’s wonderful that you were able to accomplish so much, Lisa. The amount of progress that you have been able to make is astonishing,” your eyes glittered with excitement as you ran over and to grab a hold of her hands. “I never believed that the teachings of my ancestors would ever become reality. The fact that you were able to help keep all of this rich _history_ alive… it… it invigorates me!” you laugh, a radiant sound that bounces off the glass walls. “And that you’re _human_ no less. I always knew that there would always be some particularly gifted non-magical folk out there in the world, but…” you leaned in, and brushed away a stray hair of hers. “I never believed I would ever meet one.”

Lisa’s big, bright blue eyes blink at you in surprise. “What….what’s that supposed to mean?”

You back away, realizing you may have startled her a bit. “Oh… I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to get so overzealous… it’s just… it’s as if my clan were still alive,” you said, in a steady voice, not trying to guilt her in any sort of fashion. “I know Vlad helped out a lot too it’s just… I dunno… it makes me really happy that you’re here--”

Your voice cuts off as Lisa brings you into a very tight hug, her chin resting on the top of your head. Her arms are wrapped around you, some fingers going through your hair and others scratching soothing lines down your back. “It’s alright, little one,” she cooed, echoing the nickname that Vlad had given to you. “I’m so thankful that you were able to find me. You’re your families survivor, the one that can keep their traditions alive. You will never forget all those that fell, so you pursuing your dream means that they did not die in vain.”

Your bottom lip trembled as she said this to you, her wave of blue emotions washing over you as the two of you stood in the tight embrace. You rubbed the big, globs of tears that slid down your cheeks with the back of your hand, confused as to why you were so upset.

Were you more sensitive to emotions after that reading you had given Adrian last night?

 _If that’s the case,_ you thought to yourself, _this is going to be a rough day._

Lisa pulls away when she notices you struggling to fight back tears, and hands you one of the clean towels she keeps in a large wicker basket. “Are you alright?” she asked, as she helped you wipe them away.

“Yeah… yeah I think so, I think I’m just a little bit more sensitive to emotions today,” you explain, blowing your nose into the towel.

“Well, that took a turn for the sappy, I suppose,” Lisa muttered, before the both of you burst into a fit of giggles.

“At least I know that I’ve finally found my true purpose in life,” you replied. “It was destiny that you and I should meet.”

Lisa nodded her head in agreement. “Indeed it was.”

* * *

The rest of the day was spent in the greenhouse, with Lisa showing you how to properly take care of and document the plants inside. You needed to know all the plants in there like the back of your hand, and know the proper ingredients necessary to make the most popular and simple remedies.

You got familiar with the layout, and the plants as well. Humming and singing soft tunes as you hopped across the stones, occasionally reaching out to a couple hands that stretched out for attention; the hoya carnosas being _especially_ needy. It was important to let them know you meant no harm, and were someone they could trust. If plants did not respect you, they could refuse to grow or even shrivel away due to the lack of incentive to stay.

Most of the herbs instantly craved your attention, having easily picked up on your years of experience raising and pampering their specific genus. The aloe were a bit fussy at first, some of the more exotic species _especially_ having an attitude, alongside the ferns. Honestly, you get big and bushy and are used in _so many_ remedies, and suddenly they think they’re better than most other plants.

It was rather amusing, seeing these strange little dichotomies that had developed within the greenhouse. You picked up that all of the plants _loved_ Lisa, she was their mother, some of them going so far as to hold her in a similar reverence to Gaia. Vlad was also held in high regard, the lavender cooing about how in _love_ he and Lisa were, they thought it was adorable. A couple stems of peppermint echoed the sentiments, saying that Lisa _glows_ whenever he is around her, and she adds just a dash… of, well, they don’t exactly know what it is, but they call it “the light”, to their care.

All of this brought a smile to your lips, and you almost cackled when they shifted their focus to Adrian. Several basil plants complained that when he was little, he would always run amuck through the little plants, like the mosses and tiny spurs that grew alongside the pond.

Oh! But a bundle of hawthorn added. Even as he grew older, and expressed interest in working alongside his mother, he was a clumsy mess, spilling fresh dirt everywhere, or spilling water onto those who didn’t need it! It was a good day when Lisa finally decided it would be best if he remained in the castle to complete his studies.

You laughed quietly, but a high pitched chorus of giggles caught your attention, and you turned your head to find a patch of hibiscus flowers. They were a rainbow of colors, some were orange, others a bright yellow, some a startling white with fushia patches at the edge of their petals, and others were the classic deep red.

You furrowed your brow, and gave them a small glare. _What are they laughing about?_

Hibiscus were tricky flowers, gossipy little things that would prattle on about love and matchmaking.

 _Oh, she hears us,_ the white one giggled.

 _Really?_ an orange exclaimed.

 _Little girl_ , one said in a much older voice. It was a gorgeous hibiscus, a light pink that had hues of magenta and a rich blue pallet around the stigma. _I know the true feelings that lay in your heart._

 _What?_ you think.

 _Playing dumb does not suit you my dear,_ she groaned. _The one with the beautiful golden hair, the prince of darkness--_

You look away, a dark red blush on your face as you stomp off to leave the greenhouse, the flowers giggling behind your back as you refrained from slamming the door shut.

Your breaths came out in puffs in front of you, embarrassed and on edge after that rather confrontational conversation. Wiping a bead of sweat off of your brow, you felt a calm settle over you as you gazed up at the moon in the sky.

It was practically time for you and Adrian to meet up again, and albeit, you were a tad bit nervous.

You sincerely hoped that he did not feel uncomfortable around you after that stunt you pulled earlier. It had been hard garnering even a bit of trust with him when it came to Adrian _finally_ listening to you. He had been insanely stubborn the first few days of tutoring, and you had almost threw in the towel before Lisa intervened and spoke to each of you individually.

You had no idea what she said to Adrian, but she told you to see if you could find a different approach to getting him to understand magic. Use what you knew about his learning style to see if you could use other techniques to get it to stick.

After some brainstorming, you noticed that Adrian was a much more traditional student, as he enjoyed reading thick tomes and taking diligent notes, not too far off from what you had been doing the first couple weeks. But now that you were fairly confident about your knowledge on the human body and known ailments, you had begun the more hands-on aspects of working in the greenhouse with Lisa. _That_ is the way that you preferred learning, being able to _literally_ sink your hands into what it is you’re researching.

So you decided that making some form of lecture would benefit Adrian the most, similar to the classes that you had taken when you were much younger. You would come up with test questions, or make him practice a particular magical technique in front of you. Things started to go more smoothly after that, and he would even start talking about himself once in awhile.

You let out a shaky breath as you sat in your desk chair, voice getting trapped in your throat when you hear a knock on the door. “Come,” your voice sounds rough and strained, and you cough to clear it up. “Come in.”

Adrian walks in, a perplexed expression on his face. “Are you alright?” he asked.

You pour yourself a glass of water and take a sip. After swallowing the big gulp, you nod your head. “Yeah, sorry,”

He gets situated in the chair next to you, pulling out his own journal, quill, and book from a large messenger bag his father had loaned him. “From where we left off last night, then?”

You froze, but quickly shrugged off the feeling. “Yes, intent…” you quickly reached for the notes you had prepared days earlier, thanking the goddesses that you had some sort of map to rely on in terms of discussion topics.

To your surprise (and honest relief) the night went off just fine. Your approach was really paying off, and the questions that the both of you exchanged had led to very rich discussions. Adrian appeared very pleased, a smile on his face as he waved his quill over the page to help the ink dry faster.

“Tonight was very enjoyable,” he said, and put it down once the words were set.

“I’m glad. I’m actually surprised by how much we were able to cover,” you replied. Your eyes widened at the sudden surprise of a bright blue bundle of sparkling stars, and Adrian turned his head to see what you were looking at.

“Oh, that’s just Aria,” he said, and raised his hand up, as one would for a small bird, before the stars shedded from her like snake’s skin and disappeared from sight. She fluttered onto his outstretched index finger and gave a rather dramatic yawn.

“Seems as though she’s just awoken from her nap,” he said. He gave her a delicate scratch with his long nails, and she gave a delighted hum in response.

A question you had asked yourself long ago suddenly popped back in your head and you let out a quiet, “Oh!”

“Adrian?” you began. “Why does Aria stay in the castle? I know she claims you’re her “Master”, but, how did she end up here?”

He was quiet for a moment, a somber expression on his face before it quickly washed away. “When I had been fairly young, my father and I had been walking around the woods you see before you,” his golden eyes gazed out of the window, upon the pine trees that stretched on for miles into the dark night. “It had been a day where we had gone looking for some local insects, mostly butterflies and beetles. But, that’s when we heard tiny cries for help.”

Aria finally opened her eyes, her bright blue orbs widening in sadness as she heard what he was talking about.

“A group of fairies,” Adrian said, eyes narrowing. “Had been captured, by a group of greedy humans. They used traps to secure their capture, and would then sell off their wings and eventually even their bones for use in dark spells.”

You looked over at Aria, whose wings had lowered, and she had brought her legs up to her chest, tiny tears sticking to her long eyelashes like dewdrops. “Why would they do that?” you cried out. “Fairies are such peaceful, beautiful, giving creatures. What good would that bring them?”

“Profit.” Adrian spat. “Father knew what was going on, and was thankfully able to scare them away. Even as a child I thought they deserved more than just a good fright, but the fairies were saved.”

Aria nodded her head. “Yup!” she cried out, rubbing the last few tears away on her arm. “The rest of my sisters and cousins and friends live inside the garden now,” she fluttered over to you. “You… well, I visit there sometimes, and they often tell me how kind you are to all the plants. And even… well, the new fairy gardens that you added have been a really nice addition too…” her face was flushed a cute pink, eyes downcast and her hands behind her back in bashfulness.

You gave her a kind smile. “You’re welcome, small lady.”

She blushed, and she covered her face before zipping back to where Adrian sat to hide behind his shoulder.

You giggled, but feeling eyes on you, you turned your attention to Adrian, who immediately turned his head away from your gaze. Confused, you peered at him, and thought you had seen things when you noticed a pink flush to his face--

“Add to the fact,” he suddenly blurted out. “She’s also my familiar.”

“ _What?!_ ” you exclaimed. “She’s your familiar?” you were dumbfounded. How did he have a familiar, and not you? You were a _witch_ for crying out loud!

“Yes? Why is that so surprising?”

“It… it just is!”

“I have five, what is so surprising about one--”

“ _Five?!_ ”

“That’s what I said--”

" _Five familiars?!_ ” you shouted, letting out a melodramatic moan as you collapsed back into your chair. “That’s not fair, I don’t even have one--”

“Would you like to see them?”

You silenced your groaning at that, and you were immediately back up on your feet. “Really?” you said excitedly. “You would do that?”

Adrian nodded, and gave you a smile. “Of course. I’m sure they would be delighted to meet you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i promised that the next update would be soon, didn't i? ;) 
> 
> here's chapter 5 lads! i love writing about locations in the castle, can't you tell? i just wanted to say how happy it makes me that people enjoy the little references that i make in this story. i want it to be full of little easter eggs, because i just LOVE writing about this world!!! your wonderful comments always give me a reason to continue; yes i read them all & yes i love them all <3


	6. Familiars Are A Girl's Best Friend

 

You ran over to your bedroom door and pulled it open, Adrian joining you out into the hallway as you quietly shut your door. “So, who would be the quickest from here?” you asked.

He hummed, and then turned to face the opposite side of the corridor. “The long library is the closest to your room, so let us start there.”

With that you started on your adventure, having to quickly follow alongside Adrian so that you wouldn’t get lost amongst the winding halls of Castlevania. It turns out that Adrian was correct in choosing this supposed long library, because you arrived in front of a large marble doorway quicker than you expected.

“This is it,” he said, and easily pushed it open. Dark marble tile lined the floor and walls, portraits of famous Greek monsters lining the walls, such as Medusa, the Minotaur, the Manticore, and the Siren. Bookshelves towered high, so high that you nearly tripped on yourself as your craned your neck to try and see the top. Large lanterns that burned with bright red flames, helped illuminate the long wooden desks that lined one side of the immense room. Two plush, purple chairs with golden frames were pushed inside each of the desks, and rows and rows of bookshelves stood behind them.

There were various other doors within the room, which surprised you to think that this place was even bigger than this. Adrian led you down a long corridor and up a set of marble stairs, and finally through another door, which held a small room inside.

A large, antique desk stood in the middle of the room, cluttered with books and parchment and spilt vials of ink. A long white candle sits inside an iron candlestick that is nearly covered in thick wax, the flame flickering along with a small fire that sits behind a metal gate. Two bookshelves are jammed packed with books, scrolls, plays, and maps, ancient artifacts hanging from the walls, like Medusa shields and pots from ancient civilizations.

“Young master, welcome!” cries out an old, nasally voice. Sitting in a large, worn, green chair was an old man. He had a long, curly white beard and piercing black eyes. He almost resembled the great scientist Galileo, you thought, with his dark maroon cap and robes; he appeared about as knowledgeable as well.

“It’s been a bit, old one,” Adrian said with a smile.

“What brings you here today?” he asked, before his expression changed to one of shock when he finally noticed you. “Oooh, _now_ I see why you haven’t been stopping by as much.” there was a twinkle in eye, waggling his finger in teasing as the both of you jumped to argue against it.

“Now, now, calm down. There is no need to get into such a huff,” he laughed. “I can tell that this one is wise beyond her years. It is too much of me to say that you are in the medical profession?”

“Uh… yes, how… how did you…?” you stumbled over your words in mild shock.

He laughed again, but it was not a mocking sound. No, it was more akin to a grandfather laughing at a joke that seemingly flew over your head. “I am this castle’s librarian, my dear. I have quite the talent at reading people.”

“Wow,” you sound breathless. “Well, yes, you are correct. I overheard about Lisa’s abilities, so I sought her out and asked if she would accept an apprenticeship from me.”

“Fascinating,” he replied.

“I don’t know if Adrian told you, but I came from a clan of witches that specialized in healing,” you explain.

“Ah yes,” he nodded. “Although, it was not the _young_ master I talked to. I recall when the _Master_ and I had a conversation about you. He seemed hesitant, knowing about the reputation of other witches that dabbled in dark magic. But, he saw something in you. It seems as though he was correct in making that assumption.”

You were dumbfounded that Vlad had said something like that about you. It was very humbling to know that even Dracula could be impressed by someone other than his family.

“We,” you finally find your voice, a bashful smile on your face. “We actually came here looking for one of Adrian’s familiars.”

“Oh of course I have to fetch that blubbering buffoon,” the librarian grumbled to himself.

“There’s no need,” Adrian replied. “I can fetch him, he is mine after all--”

“No!” he shouted. “I know where he is, off making a ruckus,” he walked over to a small stepping ladder that had been set in front of a bookshelf. He climbed up the first two stairs, muttering to himself as his finger slid across the spines of several books. “There you are!” he abruptly shouted, and heaved the large tome off of the shelf. He plopped it open on his desk and flipped through several pages, he then gave the passage a good slap. “Come on! Don’t waste our time! The young master wants to see you!”

The book suddenly lifted itself off of the desk, something flipping through the contents very rapidly. A low groan rumbled from the text, and in an instant, a human skull covered in a layer of wavering protoplasm emerged.

You gasped, and the skull gave a shake before it turned to seemingly glare at the librarian. “What’s the big idea here, old man? You had no right pulling me out of there!”

“Hush you old fool!” the librarian scolded. “Your master is here!” he pointed at Adrian, and the ghost let out a terrified cry when he saw him standing beside you.

“Master…” he floated over. “I apologize, if I had known that you were coming--”

“That’s enough, Matthias.” Adrian said. “I wanted to speak with you, for there is someone that I would like you to meet.” he gave you a firm tug and pulled you beside him as he introduced you to the ghost. “You will treat her with respect, you understand?”

The skull looks at you with an air of disregard. “You’re the witch that I have heard about,” there was mild disgust in his tone. “Off to drink the blood of the innocent, eh?”

“ _Excuse me?!_ ” you nearly shriek.

Adrian placed a hand on your shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze. “How many times do I have to tell you that the Countess you once ruled over was _not_ a vampire! You _live_ with vampires!”

The ghost let out a horrible wail. “Do not remind me! The fact that I was cursed to serve a family of vampires is so humiliating!”

Adrian rolled his eyes and turned to the librarian. “I suppose now would be an appropriate time to head out.” he said, and bid him good luck as the two of you left the old man with the chattering, whiny ghost.

“Well that was certainly… _interesting_ ,” you laughed, and gave Adrian a grin when you heard him groan.

“I apologize for his behavior, he’s usually not so… insufferable. He usually reserves only nasty fits like these when someone comes into the library unannounced, for he’s usually serving as the librarian’s secretary while he’s away.”

The both of you chuckled as you walked down hallways and staircases, until you were finally led back outside into an outdoor courtyard. Tall, stone pillars towered above the two of you in a circular formation, ledges connecting all of them to form a long pathway that was lined with overgrown ivy. Small candelabras lit the way, the candlelight creating an eerie glow under the moonlight as you walked side by side.

A sundial stood in the middle, and you grazed your finger across the dial as you wondered just what sort of familiar would reside here.

Adrian gave a whistle, before crying out, “Cereza!”

Tiny squeaks filled the night air, and a large black mass blocked out the white light of the moon as a bat with huge, startling red wings flew down from the sky. Its claws dug into the fabric of Adrian’s shirt as it hung upside down off his arm, cleaning its face with its big, leathery wings.

“Who’s that?” you whisper, the bat pausing its grooming to look at you with large, brown eyes.

“Her name is Cereza,” Adrian explained. “I’ve raised her since she was a little baby,” he gave her a good scratch on her chin, and then introduced Cereza to you.

The bats ears flicked from side to side as Adrian spoke, and when he was finished, she turned her massive body around to get a good look at you.

You felt yourself flush under her gaze, silently hoping that she approved of you, although you were unsure what she searched for as she continued to silently stare.

After several tense seconds, she flapped over give you quick licks on your cheek, her form of kisses. You giggled, heart aflutter that Cereza had at least judged you to be worthy of being here.

“Thank goodness someone has some sense,” Adrian gave you a smile, happy that Cereza was so fond of you already. “Would it be alright if she tags along? She wanted to come with us.”

“Of course!” you reply. “Who are we off to see next?”

“We will need to head lower into the castle,” Adrian stated. “Follow me, I have a shortcut.” he grabbed a hold of your hand and started to lead you to where he wanted to go.

You felt your cheeks heat up, but you hurried to keep pace as he ran towards a peeling wooden door that looked practically ancient. He pushed down the iron handle, and urged you down a set of stone stairs that glowed blue under a mysterious light.

The farther down you walked, the louder the sound of running water grew, your hand getting slightly damp as you ran it across the surface of the wall. Before long, the two of you had made it to the bottom of the stairs, into an enormous underground cavern that stretched for miles.

Giant stalactites hung from the ceiling, dripping with their mineral rich solutions onto the growing stalagmites below. Tiny bats flew out from small holes in the stone above, eagerly gobbling up all the dragonflies and other bugs that buzzed in the air. The croaking of fat, green bullfrogs could be heard as well, and you almost felt as if you were on an entirely different planet, as you walked beside a thunderous waterfall.

Adrian followed the river, and before long, you spotted a boat floating at a dock. The ferryman gave Adrian a wave, his sunken gaze lighting up as a large sack of gold was thrust into his hands.

“Hehe, thank you!” he cried out, clambering into the boat as he grabbed the great big oar that would be used to steer.

You climbed in after Adrian, the ferryman having to use hardly any force as the swift currents easily tugged the boat along. The old man put his oar in the water to slow the approach as the rocky shore neared, and when the boat came to a full stop, the two of you (and Cereza) continued on.

It finally seemed as though you had arrived, when Adrian stopped walking so he could knock on the wall. The small space was littered with branches and tiny animal bones, and an array of round rocks and geodes.

Cereza let out a cry and flew over to a hole in the ceiling, where she flapped her wings to cause a gust of air to tunnel inside.  
  
“Alright, alright! Give me a sec!” a shrill voice shrieks.

Cereza backs off and allows for a purple, winged demon to hop down from one of the stalactites. The creature had bright red eyes, small horns, and walked on its hind legs, which were, surprisingly, covered in brown tattered pants. Long, thick claws helped it pick up a crudely fashioned spear, and it walked over to Adrian, its hooved feet making loud _clicking_ sounds against the stone.

“Hatred, I would prefer it if we could speak face-to-face,” Adrian said, and the demon leaped into the air, its wings flapping as it hovered in front of its master.

“What brings you down here, Master?” he asked, before letting out a cry of alarm when his eyes landed on you. “Who’s that?!”

Adrian introduced you, and after he let slip that you were a witch, the demon’s demeanor _instantly_ shifted.

“Oh! You’re a witch?” he leaned over to look at you. “Hmm… it doesn’t seem as though you’ve ever communicated with my kind before.”

“Of course not,” you snapped. “Demons are untrustworthy, why would I ever want to summon one?”

Hatred clearly looked offended at your words. “I am not untrustworthy! I protect my Master! Isn’t that right? Tell her!” he shouted.

“I would put aside your demon biases when it comes to Hatred,” Adrian whispered. “I know they have quite the reputation, but he has sworn allegiance to me.”

Hatred nodded his head in agreement. “Yes sir, I have. I would never betray my Master! To do so, would be punishable by _death_!”

“Well, I don’t know about that--” Adrian tried to say, but Hatred interrupted him.

“No, it is the only deserving punishment! And because he trusts you so much, I will swear my loyalty to you, miss,” he said, giving you a bow.

“There’s no need to do that!” you said, embarrassed.

“Nonsense!” Hatred stated. He snapped his fingers and out game a card, which he handed to you. “From this day forth, should you ever need me, simply focus your energy into that card, and I will appear to you, no matter where you are.”

You thanked him as you took the gift, shocked that two of Adrian’s familiars had accepted you so quickly.

Adrian reached into his pocket and pulled out a small sack filled with big, juicy green beetles, which he hands to Hatred. The demon happily gobbled them up, a long leg sticking out from the side of his mouth as he chewed up the last remains.

Cereza gives a few squeaks, and Hatred rolled his eyes. “You always have to criticize me about something, don’t you _princess_?” he said the nickname scathingly, giving her the stink eye as the bat continued to talk to him.

“That’s enough you two,” Adrian said. “If you’re going to get snippy with each other, we might as well leave.”

Hatred gave Cereza one last glare before he flew over to the pile of rocks in one corner of the room. “Alright, that’s fine by me!” he cried out, picking up a geode and attempting to crack it open with his teeth. “Remember what I said little lady!” he shouted, as you gave him a wave as you and Adrian began walking out of the cave.

“I’m glad that went well, he can oftentimes be very abrasive to people that he is unfamiliar with.” Adrian mused, his hands behind his back.

“I guess being a witch has its benefits,” you joked, Adrian giving you a playful smile in return.

“Off to the last one, then?” you stated.

Adrian nodded and took a hold of your hand once more as he lead you down the pathways back to the ferryman, who took the both of you back across the river, free of charge. Cereza had decided to remain inside the caves, wanting to rejoin the smaller bats that lived there to partake in their current feeding frenzy.

When the moonlight finally made itself visible again, he lead you through the courtyard and back inside of the castle.

The next room that you found yourself in was an extravagant ballroom. Massive would have been an understatement in describing its sheer size, the floor being made of smooth, polished wood and the walls being made of pristine black and white marble. Two chandeliers hung on opposite sides of the room, their large candles igniting themselves as soon you walked through the doors, allowing you to see the beautiful artwork that adorned the ceiling. It curved upwards to form a dome, intricate paintings of Greek figures like Zeus, Hera, cupids, and beautiful nymphs hiding amongst the clouds surrounded a large circular roof window. This part of the architecture was in a league all its own, an enormous stain glass piece that caused the floor below it to be dotted in twinkling rainbow lights.

A gigantic painting hung above a marble fireplace, a lifelike portrait of a main with long black hair and a sharp, pointed face that resembled Adrian. He had gray eyes that shined with hunger and power, a luxurious, silky robe made of ermine draped across his shoulders, that had been fitted into a shining set of armor. A sword was in his hands, legs spread apart in an authoritative stance and he appeared ready to take on the world.

“Is that… your father?” you questioned.

Adrian nodded, taking a spot beside you as he gazed up at the intimidating work of art. “Indeed. This was _far_ before he met my mother, however. This was when he was still a soldier, and a formidable one at that.”

“It’s hard to think of your father before meeting Lisa,” you said. “I cannot even imagine what he must have been like.”

“Mother tells me that humans were terrified of him, believing him to be more myth than man,” Adrian said this in an amusing tone, his heels tapping softly against the hard wood as he walked up to the fireplace.

It was then that you noticed the two swords that hung on the wall, and Adrian easily grabbed a hold of the lowermost, letting the blade rest in his hands.

You were a little confused, but before you could even say a thing, the sword slid out of his grip and effortlessly hovered just above his shoulder.

“How did you--?”

“ _This_ , is my final familiar,” his eyes darted over to his right shoulder, and the sword slid off its current pedestal and moved to levitate between the two of you.

“A sword?” your tone was laced with skepticism. “That’s your last familiar? How can a sword be a familiar?”

He took a firm grip of the handle, lifting up the blade so as to inspect it. “Mother tells me that it is a family heirloom, and when I was of age, she gifted it to me.”

Your eyes widened in shock after hearing this. “This sword belong to Lisa?”

Adrian shrugged, lowering the sword so that it rest at his side. “I am not sure if she used it herself, she did not tell me much about it. But it is a very loyal and powerful weapon.”

You looked at him, and then looked at the sword. Curiosity was starting to get the better of you, and you wanted to see how this thing operated when it was being used in battle.

“Show me.”

It was not a question, and one of Adrian’s fine, blond eyebrows rose up, as if challenging your statement. “Are you sure?”

“Did I stutter?”

A grin erupted on his face, the dhampir taking a step back and putting his hands behind him as his sword cut through the air. It did several sweeps, before it stopped dead, and made a direct beeline towards you.

You let out a scream, eyes screwing shut as you raised your hands up in a defensive posture. You didn’t think that he’d just charge at you like that!

A dull thud thrummed up your fingers, and when you didn’t feel any pain, you slowly opened your eyes to find the sword floating in front of your hand, as though it had been stopped by something.

“Did… did you stop it?” your voice wavered, a bit more frightened than you wanted to be.

“Interesting,” he hummed. “Seems as though you created a barrier and put a stop to it.”

“What? A barrier…” you looked around you, confusion etched upon your features. There was nothing surrounding you, so how could he say that you had summoned a barrier?

Adrian grabbed his sword and a stabbed the exact same spot, the blade wobbling slightly as it ran into… something.

“See?”

You were astonished, as you had never done anything like that before. “I never knew that I could form barriers.”

“It seems as though you are powerful than you gave yourself credit for,” he gave you a smirk, sword in hand as he stood before you.

You looked down at your hands, clenching them into fists as you felt the undeniable _sting_ of magic course through your veins. You thought that it would be useful if you could somehow practice the use of this new spell, understanding the only way for it to become stronger was through continuous use.

“Adrian, I have a proposition for you.”

“Oh?” he leaned forward slightly, his blond hair almost creating a curtain on either side of your face.

He smelled of leather and books, with just a hint of fresh grass, his golden eyes shining like rare gems in the candlelight. You felt yourself unconsciously draw yourself closer to him, your teeth digging into your lower lip as you nodded your head.

“Seeing as how I’m helping you improve your magic skills, it would only seem fair if you assist me in my combat skills.” you gave him a toothy grin, your pulse quickening as he laughed, and his fangs gleamed in contrast to his richly colored locks.

“That sounds fair,” he brushed a stray piece of hair out of your face, your skin burning under his touch. You felt his hand linger on your cheek for a moment, before it slid down your neck and then finally rested on your shoulder. There, it remained slightly indecisive, before he relinquished his grip and put his hands behind his back once more.

He gave a flick of the wrist and his sword flew back onto its spot on the wall, while you silently hoped that he could not hear how loudly your heart was hammering within your chest.

“I will see you tomorrow then,” he gently grabbed your hand, peppering not one, but two kisses to your knuckles. “Small lady.”

You were certain you were blushing now, as he called you by the nickname you had given Aria. You gave him a silent nod as he walked away, the words of the hibiscus echoing inside your mind,

_I know the true feelings that lay in your heart… of the one with the beautiful golden hair, the prince of darkness._

The reality was so obvious that it was staring you in the face, but still… you refused to believe that these feelings were justified, that they were real…

You let out a deep sigh, laughing up at the moon that hung high in the sky. “What am I going to do…” you muttered as you walked out of the ballroom, trying to deny the butterflies that fluttered in your stomach, and the beating of your heart as your mind reminded you of how he smelled, reminded you of his voice, and reminded you of the way that he had looked at you--

You shook your head to try and clear away these messy ideas, and while you told yourself there was nothing to these feelings, you could not deny that the last thing you thought of before falling asleep was a pair of brilliant golden eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i suppose it's become on brand for me to write two chapters within a day? so, here's chapter 6!!
> 
> this one in filled with references to not only characters, but locations as well! could you recognize some of the places you and adrian visited? and things are starting to heat up b/w out two protagonists hehehe ;) i hope you enjoyed this chapter lovelies!! i will see you again soon!!
> 
> p.s. if u caught the other refs to another favorite game of mine, a witch friendly favorite, u get extra kudos from me <3


	7. Ravens, and Witches, and Wolves oh my!

 

You awoke one morning with a dazed smile on your face, your head abuzz with the dreams from the night before. You rubbed the tired from your eyes, but the vivid imagery of your dream still remained at the forefront of your mind.

You had been standing in front of a large forest. It was absolutely breathtaking, twinkling with fireflies and fairy lights. A small stream paved its way through the shrubbery, plush moss and groups of clover providing just the right amount of padding along the riverbank.

Fauna roamed throughout the trees, but they were not the usual animals that you would encounter in the wild. They rounded the corner of your eye, and only allowed you to see them in your periphery.

You had heard tales throughout your childhood of witches who had been foolish enough to challenge these beings, and demand to face them head on. No one really knew what happened if you ever looked one in the eye, but some said that your soul gets sucked down into one the magical streams that course through their body, only to be trapped in a seemingly endless purgatory.

It was rare for these creatures to reveal themselves to humans, but it has happened. As par the course, people often believed they were monsters, and that they were omens of death or something ridiculous like that.

Sure, they had reputations that preceded them from the scary rumors, but the sketching you had seen within your textbooks made you question why everyone thought they were so horrifying. You found them quite beautiful.

White, ethereal looking creatures with the anatomy of a deer. They were documented as either having a pair of bright red eyes, or having hundreds that shifted in color depending where you stood.

Their antlers were said to be enormous, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to be so ancient that they sprouted small trees and bushes amongst the twisting bone. Fairies, spiders, birds and nymphs would make their homes in the branches, a whole separate ecosystem that silently marched along the forest floor.

They had big hooves, tiny plants sprouting along the path they tread, each of their frosty breaths giving new life to withering or dying flowers. It is recommended that you try and see them at night, their forms shining like starlight in the piercing moonlight, dancing along the edges of your vision like ghosts.

Your coven called them forest spirits, and there would be times during the ceremonies held within the darkness of the great, old forest that surrounded your cove, that you could have sworn seeing something walking out of the corner of your eye.

The older women, including your grandmother, always said that these creatures were to be respected, never feared. They let you know that the forest is healthy, that it is alive, and that it is _magical_.

Anyways, back to the dream… (boy could your mind _wander_ )

You had been walking through some magical woods, and they felt ancient, the very earth lighting up under your feet as you followed a predetermined path. You were unsure of where you were, but at the same time, a sense of familiarity lingered in the air, and you found yourself able to maneuver over where it is you wanted to go.

Soon you were standing in front of a clearing, you walked out and discovered a small cove. A tiny heart shaped pond stood in the middle, large lily pads and lotuses blossomed on its surface. Plush ferns swayed alongside a large boulder that was placed before the water, slightly elevated on a moss covered hill. Fireflies dance amongst the thick leaves of the aromatic flower trees and bushes that surrounded you, the hoot of an owl rumbling in the delicate wind.

A bright moon hung in the sky, and you noticed, to your delight, that the moon’s startling white rays had been mixed in with soft hues of pink. It was a Strawberry Moon, the next upcoming full moon within the month of June.

The place was beautiful, and you gave a delighted hum as you run your hand across the surface of the crystal clear water. Tiny aquatic plants swayed to the motion, a couple of small fish darting around in surprise at the sudden commotion.

High pitched giggles coming from all around you snapped you out of your daze, and a dozen or so colorful lights came streaming out of the large lilies that were bunched near one corner of the pond.

You realized that they were fairies, as you caught glimpses of what they looked like here and there as they darted by.

_Stop trying to deny it…_

A soft voice, very childlike in its tone, called out to you. It seemed to be coming from the pink light.

“Deny what?” you answered.

Another round of giggles.

Now you were starting to get flashbacks to the hibiscus gang back in the greenhouse.

 _Uh oh, he’s here!_ another voice cried out. The yellow light.

“Who?” you called back.

 _Don’t be silly_ , another fairy chimed, the one surrounded by purple light. _He’s right behind you!_

Your breath caught in your throat as your turned around, the sight of a great white wolf catching you completely off guard.

The beast lazily lay upon the large rock, its bushy tail wagging slowly back and forth with the breeze. Its head was cocked towards the sky, and it let out a long, dramatic yawn; one that helped reveal very _clearly_ that it could defend himself.

But, for some reason, a feeling inside you compelled you to inch closer and closer to the wolf. You couldn’t describe it, it felt almost like a tug, as though someone was pulling on a string, urging you forward.

A twig snapped under your bare feet, your whole body freezing in place as the beast reared its head in your direction.

Your eyes widened in fear as it stared at you, but that was displaced for a quick few seconds when you finally got a sight of its eyes. Big, shining orbs that sparkled as though made of rivers of gold. You had never seen a wolf with such stunning eyes before.

There was a silence, where neither one of you moved, but… then there was that _tug_ again.

You needed to reach out… _stretch out your arm, yeah, that’s it! And then gently…_

Gently, you placed your hand on the top of the wolf’s snout. You felt its nose twitch once, twice, before it exhaled, a deep sound that rumbled in its chest. A delighted laugh slipped past your lips as the wolf leaned forward, pushing your hand higher up its head, until you had to move in order to scratch him just behind the ears.

He was a soft, friendly, and affectionate little one, peppering your arms and face with gentle licks and kisses.

You cuddled up beside him as you felt your eyes grow heavy, a signal that you were about to return to the world of the living. It was peaceful, and you felt at ease for the first time in _months_ inside your own dream.

Ever since losing your family, your mind was often a turbulent place, a world that had control of your emotions, causing you to have more nightmares than you would like to remember.

But this? This was… nice.

A breeze flew between the two of you, the smell of dew, grass… and… leather? And books?

You opened your eyes, only to find yourself alone on that rock, the moon shimmering in the night sky that had started to get flecked with hues of orange and pink and blue. Where had the wolf gone?

Your fingers grazed against something, and to your shock, you found a deep red hibiscus, resting where the wolf had been moments prior.

You picked it up, puzzled where it came from, as you spun the stem between your fingers.

_Language…_

“What?”

_The language… of…_

“Language of…what language?” you repeat to yourself, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

You looked back down at the hibiscus, and then back up to the ever waning moon. “The language… the language… ”

The image of a red hibiscus and a great white wolf lingered in your mind as you woke up, and as you bathed yourself and got ready for the day, you kept trying to figure out what exactly that voice had meant about “the language”.

You had never attributed too much to dreams, learning from your grandmother at an early age that most dreams meant absolute codswallop and that leaning on them for answers was absolutely ridiculous.

On the other hand, some of the other old women argued that dreams were a very valid source of divination for witches, and it was foolish to not listen to what they said. 

“Oh really?” your grandma would interrupt, clearly annoyed.

This would happen every time someone would reignite the whole “dream debate”, as the women liked to call it. You had been witness to several yourself, and recalled one night where your grandmother had had quite the rebuttal.

“Well, I had a dream that the handsome new farm hand that sells us all our vegetables, came ‘round and swept me off my feet-- among other things,” she mumbled, several other witches snickering in response. “That doesn’t mean he’s gonna come and do that, Daria!”

The other woman, Daria, someone that your grandmother often disagreed with, gave a _hmph!_

“You don’t know that! It could have been a vision from the future--”

“He’s _engaged_ you peaheaded fool!”

Most of the room would erupt into laughter, but the other women hardly ever found it amusing. Usually, that would be the time that your mother would escort your grandma back home, the two old women shouting curses at one another till they were too far away to hear what foul atrocities would befall their crops, or which great-great-great-great grandchild would be born with the head of a toad.

So, you knew to take such vivid dreams with a grain of salt. But, there was something tugging at you again… the thought that maybe… just _this one_ might actually hold some meaning to it.

You flatten out a few of the creases on your light blue chiffon blouse, trying to look presentable even if your mind was a mess. You sported some light cotton trousers to go alongside, as you assumed that you would just be in the greenhouse again all day.  

The brown boots you wore were scruffed and covered in flecks of dried dirt. You made sure that the soles were relatively clean, since you would be mortified if you stained the beautiful red carpets with mud after trekking throughout the castle back to your room late one night.

Throughout the weeks of living in Castlevania, you had managed to familiarize yourself with the layout of the places that you frequented often, like the library or the garden. It was so much easier for you to just zip through the hallways, oftentimes skipping down them as you pondered on what to eat for breakfast.

But… there was a familiar tug, and you slowed down one corner, entering the last hallway you had to walk through to reach the kitchen.

Your gaze wandered, curious as to why you had felt that sensation just moments before, when your attention was brought to yet another painting. It was strange, you must have passed this one at least a dozen times before, why was it vying itself to be important now?

It was a large portrait of Adrian, that you knew. The two of you ran into each other one morning, and he had pointed out that this had been done shortly after receiving his sword. He said his father called it an “extended birthday present”, but Adrian knew it was just a way for his mother and father to have a portrait of him as an adult. He also mentioned how amusing he thought it was, that they hung it right outside his old nursery.

 _That_ fact certainly piqued your interest, but he had locked the door with a spell before you could even try to get in. You pouted, but he had said he would show you one day. For now, he would like to be spared _some_ form of humility in your relationship.

Oh right… _that’s_ what he had said. You recalled how your cheeks rose in color, chastising yourself for even thinking of misinterpreting it as something other than a friendship. Is that why you had been brought here? To feel _embarrassed_ again?

Slightly irritated, you’re about to tell this inner-voice to bugger off, before you realize something _peculiar_ about the shield that he’s carrying. It was large, and red, with a black cross emblem resting in the foreground of large, white bat wings, and the enormous head of a ferocious white wolf with golden eyes.

Memories of your dream merge with the painting before you, a thrumming headache drumming behind the backs of your eyes as that _voice_ comes back, echoing,

 _The language… the language…!_ Over and over again!

Ugh!

You pinched the bridge of your nose and kept going. Why was this dream being so stubborn? Why couldn’t it just fade away like all the rest of ‘em did?

Walking into the kitchen, you took your seat beside Adrian, who was reading the book you had assigned him to, a tome on more advanced fire spells. He was stirring his tea with the slow flick of his index finger, a skill he had been quite proud of mastering.

Lisa was chatting with her husband, a bowl of steamy homemade oatmeal with a sprinkle of cinnamon resting in front of her. Vlad sipped on some freshly brewed coffee as his wife told him about her plans for the day, the two of them giving you smiles as you helped yourself to some food.

“You have quite the good timing,” Lisa said, eating a spoonful of her breakfast. “I was just about to tell Vlad what we were doing for the day.”

“Oh?” you stirred your spoon, sticky with honey, into your oatmeal.

“I thought it was finally time that you accompany me to the village, to Lupu!” she gave you a toothy grin, eyes crinkled with excitement.

Your spoon nearly clattered back into your oatmeal from shock, but you managed to shove it into your mouth before any harm fell to it. You swallowed, a bit of apprehension laced in your voice as you replied, “Are… are you sure that’s a good idea?”

Lisa frowned. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“Well… I… I dunno, what if I scare someone? Or mess something up? I would never want you to lose the trust you’ve built up with your patients because of something I did--”

“That’s enough.” Lisa snapped. “You need to stop being so harsh on yourself! If anyone has what it takes to be an amazing doctor, it’s you!”

A blush spread across your face and down your neck, and your averted your gaze back to your breakfast. “Thank… thank you,” you said sheepishly.

“You act as though you have two heads and vicious claws, little one.” Vlad gave you a kind look from across the table. “No one will be afraid of you. Never have I met someone as kind and generous as my dear Lisa. The people will love you.”

Your breath left you in shaky gasps, a wave of gratitude washing away all of the anxiety you had previously felt. “Thank you… both of you. I really appreciate it.”

Once breakfast was finished, Lisa suggested that you head back to your room in preparation for the day. She said that you were going to watch what she did more than anything today, but she urged that you take important notes and prepare yourself for on the fly questions anyone may ask you.

You didn’t really know what to expect, so you tried to shove everything important you could think of inside your satchel. A couple of your personal notebooks, some vials of fresh herbs and roots, a couple crystals, some tonics, a few potions, and of course: some gauze.

When you walked out of the front door, you were surprised to find that Lisa was not the only one waiting for you. Adrian was there as well, along with two absolutely stunning horses.

Lisa’s was a chestnut colored mare, his mane a light blond and a white stripe down his snout that matched the white sock patterns he sported around his hooves. His saddle was simple and elegant, but it was practically hidden under the heaps of bags and sacks that Lisa had tied to him.

When she caught sight of your skeptical gaze, she waved you off. “I have not visited for awhile since you’ve arrived, darling. It was a bit difficult for me to find enough time for long consultations in between our lessons. I just have a feeling that it’s going to be a bit busier than normal. Plus, I needed to stock up on some supplies so,” she gave the big bag tied behind her a hearty _slap_ to emphasize her point.

You felt anxiety flicker inside you as she said this, and you worried that the townsfolk would start disliking you as the reason for keeping Lisa away for so long. But… it was summer, it was not common for someone to get very ill during the warmer months. You’re certain Lisa would have stayed in the village longer if someone had _desperately_ needed medical assistance.

Adrian cleared his throat, and made a soft _click_ to get the horse he held moving.

This one was white almost all over, with a white body and white mane. However, the inside of its ears were a pitch black, and its snout looked almost as if someone had dusted ashes onto it. It was a faded black, almost like weathered charcoal. Thick, white lashes fluttered down at you, as the horse gazed upon you with its round black eyes.

You were intrigued by the stare it… _she_ was giving you. Mirroring the movements from your dream, you placed the palm of your hand on her nose, and gave her a few gentle scratches before she whinnied and walked closer.

Smiling, you stroked her soft mane and she gave a delighted _puff,_ her tail flicking from side to side like a puppy.

“Her name is Clara, and I thought that her friendly disposition would be easy for you to handle.” Adrian gave you the reigns, a smile on his face.

“Oh I’ve lived with horses my whole life… I just never had the money to afford one after… well, you know.” you gave him a halfhearted smile in return, but quickly chased those thoughts away.

“She’s beautiful, thank you for introducing me to her Adrian.” you gently stroked Clara down her back, before you heaved yourself up into the saddle. You gave Adrian a thumbs up, hoping that you didn’t get him down after he had gifted you with a _horse_.

You saw his eyes shine as his lips upturned into another smile, the sight causing your heart to flutter as both you and Lisa waved him goodbye as you started down the path into town.

* * *

The two of you left late in the morning, and expected to get there by early afternoon. Now on the backs of horses, you felt much more relieved on the prospect of the trip back, having dreaded the idea of walking all the way back to Castlevania after a day of hard work.

You and Lisa made idle chit chat as your horses followed the dusty route that lead to Lupu, where she revealed that that is where she was born and raised.

It had been a very small village when she was little, but over the past two decades or so, it had really begun thriving. It was all thanks to meeting Vlad all those years ago. He gifted Lisa with the knowledge to really help people, and it was because of him that she was able to heal so many people and save so many lives.

The mortality rate, especially that of children and infants, had gone down significantly since Lisa became the town’s physician. It was horrendous to dwell on how things were back in the day, and she cannot believe that her own mother had taken the advice of the wisewoman everyone claimed as a real healer.

You grimaced at that, having too much experience with those sorts of folks.

“I told him,” she said, her voice shaking with laughter. “That… that people wouldn’t live such scared little lives anymore if they had real medicine!” her laughter was triumphant, and Lisa smiled. “And I was right! It makes me so happy to see my people so healthy and _alive_.”

You could easily echo Lisa’s sentiments, and the more time the two of you spent together, the clearer it became that the two of you were truly destined to meet.

“I suppose… given enough time… Lupu could become like another family to me,” you muttered, as you clung to the amulet around your neck.

“I know it will.” Lisa stated firmly.

The rest of the journey went by fairly quickly, and the both of you soon made it to Lisa’s clinic on the outskirts of town. While Lisa hurriedly restocked her stores, you watched over the horses as they took a break to drink some fresh stream water or munch on crisp grass.

The weather was perfect, and you raised your hand above your eyes to get a better look at Lupu. You could see a few houses, made of mud, stone, and grass, had smoke rising from their roofs, signaling that someone was hard at work on the stove.

The distinct sound of clattering cow bells and the cries of hungry sheep rung in your ears, a couple dog barks sounding off, a man shouting about something in response, before the chatter of several other people rose up into the atmosphere.

Slowly, the village was coming to life. The prospect of making a couple coins off hungry travelers stopping by in the peak of the afternoon, was always something on vendor’s minds. Bartenders were going to take advantage of thirsty customers, just wanting a pint with their freshly grilled chicken, and animals would need to be let out of their huts and prairies for their lunch as well.

“Alright,” Lisa said, as she came running out of the doorway, which she closed with a swift kick. “That should be everything. Grab what you left on your horse, and then let us make our way down.”

The only thing that you brought with you was your satchel, and after a few exchanges, Lisa decided that it would make more sense for you to leave that inside her office. She concluded a tour of Lupu was the first order of business on the agenda, since it would give you a chance to look around and meet the people that you would be treating.

Lisa lead you down the beaten path, quietly urging you forward when you found yourself straggling behind her excited gait. Rows of vendors and a few shops were the first buildings that ran along either side of the main road. The shopkeepers went about coaxing any possible customers with their deals, priding themselves on the freshness of their ingredients or the level of quality on their craftsmanship.

A girl with messy brown hair tied back into a ponytail, her honey-brown eyes surrounded by a mask of freckles, approached you with a couple homemade necklaces, going on about how they were charms that warded off evil, or how this one would guarantee that money would find its way into your hands.

You glanced skeptically at the pieces, and you noted that both of the gems were white quartz, which had little to no power on its own. Quartz was more of a conduit for magic than anything, helping amplify other elements in a spell rather than being what really impacts your original intent.

“I would start making those money charms with citrine, if I were you,” you suggested.

The girl blinked, clearly having no idea what you were talking about. She looked back down at her necklace, and then slowly raised it up to you, as though unsure of whether or not you wanted to buy it. “Uhh… thanks?” she had an accent, unrefined and harsh.

You vaguely thought to try and explain what it is you meant, but then she shoved past you and embraced Lisa in a tight hug.

“Marian! It’s good to see you!”

Lisa playfully ruffled her hair, a toothy grin on the girls face as she raced back inside of her house, yelling, “Mama! Lisa is back! Lisa is back!”

A couple moments later, a disheveled woman with blond blond hair, tied behind her in a braid, came out of the house followed by a girl about the same age as Marian, with hair the same color and style as her mother’s.

“Oh! It’s true!” she cried out, elated. She was muttering to herself as she shuffled over to where Lisa stood, and she grabbed her hands, shaking them up and down in gratitude.

“Why hello there Sabina,” Lisa gave the woman two chaste kisses on either side of her face. “And you, Lorena,” she smiled at the other girl.

“It’s great to see you Doctor Tepes!” she exclaimed. “It’s been forever since we last saw you. What have you been up to?”

“Well, actually,” Lisa turned her attention to you, who had been standing beside her awkwardly this entire time. “This is a student of mine, and she’s what’s been taking up a lot of my time. I brought her with me today to meet all of you and to get a feel for working with actual people instead of plants.”

The three laughed, and waited as you nervously introduced yourself before greeting you properly, with hand shakes and cheek-kisses.

“Everyone is going to be so happy when they find out that you’re back, Dr. Tepes.” Sabina said, as she ushered her two girls back to the old, wooden table that held their wares for sale.

“By the looks of it, it seems that I don’t even really need to visit you!” Lisa joked. “It’s so lively this morning.”

“That’s ‘cus winter is over with!” Lorena chimed in. “I mean, spring is always nice, with all of the plants and animals coming back, but nothing can beat this nice weather!”

“Yes,” Sabina agreed. “The crops have been especially good this year, as have the animals. They’re all as healthy as can be.”

“That’s wonderful to hear!” Lisa happily exclaimed, and gave the family a wave as she started to walk away. “It was great seeing you all! We’re just going to make our rounds.”

Sabina nodded her head, and gave Lisa one last kiss on the cheek before she headed back to her house. “You better stop by for some dinner before you head home!”

“I will! Thank you!”

You gave the family a wave too, beginning to feel a little more at ease. The most of that afternoon was spent with Lisa getting recognized and pulled into hugs and conversation, and one thing that made you truly happy to hear, was just how _thrilled_ everyone was to report how well they had been doing physically since her absence.

“My mother hardly ever nags me about that blasted cough she used to get around this time! What a _relief_!” a large man named Serghei laughed, a hearty, infectious sound that spread throughout the crowd.

You and Lisa had decided to stop by the local pub for a drink, and the friendly atmosphere made it easy to catch up with all of the local patrons. Everyone was incredibly amicable, and welcomed you with wide open arms. A lot of people went so far as to admit how glad they were that Lisa was _finally_ receiving some sort of help.

“She does too much on her own, that one!” the bartender, named Toma, grumbled.

He and his wife ran the place together, and they had been doing so for well over ten years. His wife, Valeria, was a boisterous woman that was well respected within the community. The two greatly contrasted each other, Toma being a skinny, short man, while Valeria was a tall, powerful presence that toted the title of being the undefeated champion of arm wrestling at The Baroness.

Apparently how the spot got its name is a favorite story amongst the locals, the men pleading and begging Valeria to tell you. After some goading, they managed to convince her, the crowd falling silent with a hush as they huddled around the barstools you and Lisa sat at.

“So I first need to preface this, with a little backstory,” Valeria begins, her rich voice sending tingles up your spine. “Back before I met old Tomas here and got my life all sorted out, I was sort of… _freelance_ in the good old days.”

“Freelance?” you question.

“She means she was a thief,” Tomas whispered back.

Valeria glared at her husband. “Oi! I had more dignity than a common thief! Anyways, me and my friend, who for the sole purpose of this story, I decided to name Grigore,” the audience chuckled and sneered. “Overheard about this party that was happening in Tậrgoviște. Now, being the capital and all, there was _no way_ that a couple of common folks was sneakin’ into this big fancy party. But, I came up with an _ingenious_ plan. We would disguise ourselves as a pair of guests, it’s not like whoever is hosting is gonna recognize all five hundred people they invited. That’s absolute shit!”

The men hooped and hollered, raising their tankards in agreement as they took big, hearty swigs. You moved out of the way as a couple guys behind you started getting rowdy, trying to avoid getting beer spilled all over your nice clothes.

“Hey!” Valeria shoved one of the men behind you, the back of his head colliding with someone behind him. “Watch the lady! She’s listenin’ to my story.”

You gave her a weak thank you, before urging her to continue, not wanting to make any enemies from this special treatment.

“So we stake out the place, looking for two people that looked boring enough to be missed. It was actually pretty easy to do, nobles can be pretty clueless when it comes down to it. When her date suddenly ‘vanished’, she went looking for him and quickly found my fist in her face instead.” she laughed, slapping one of her muscular thighs in amusement. “All that was left was to change into their clothes and assume their titles. I had nabbed the role of the Baroness Elisabeta, and Grigore was some wimpy Baron called Eduard, or something. The whole point of these parties were for nobles to donate a certain amount of money, which would all be stored within a great big chest.”

“That,” you said, a frown on your face. “Is… really stupid.”

Valeria cackled, and then pointed at you. “This kid gets it! That’s exactly what I was thinking when it was explained to me. Now, even though I was a freelancer--”

“Thief.” Toma corrected, as he handed someone a refill.

“Freelancer!” Valeria insisted. “Even though I was a freelancer, I was not completely dense. I knew that there would be no way that the two of us would be able to get away with stealing the entire thing. But, we could both settle for a big bag or two. To cut things short, we ended up with only _one_ bag between the two of us, and about ten soldiers on our asses. It was actually the night I met Toma,” she said, and wrapped one of her toned arms around her husband’s shoulders. “If he hadn’t been _stupid_ enough to actually hide the two of us, I would probably be in prison, rotting away in some cell.”

“And what a shame that would be!” Toma exclaimed. “I’m glad I was foolish enough to trust you into _not_ killing me for being a conspirator in your big scheme.”

Valeria laughed and dipped him back as she gave him a kiss, the patrons whooping and crying out excitedly. She gave her husband a firm slap to the back as he walked off in a slight daze, before her fierce grey eyes landed on you.

“You seem like a strong girl. I hope that you find someone that will treat you right.”

 You flushed, unprepared for this change in the conversation. “Um… um thank you.”

“Never,” she grabbed a firm hold of your shoulders, and albeit, you were surprised at how soft her hands were. “Settle for anything less than you’re worth.”

You slowly nodded your head, letting her know you received her message loud and clear.

The bar was filled with a chorus of farewells and a lot of handshakes as you and Lisa made your way out, the sound and smell of metallurgy filling your senses as you both rounded a corner. A small hut sat a little ways away from a blacksmith station, the steam from the water hiding the man that was currently hammering away at a piece of red-hot steel.

“Doctor Tepes!” a woman’s voice called out from behind the fog, and out ran a tall, lithe woman with vibrant red hair. Her green eyes sparkled like emeralds in the sunlight, her arms wrapped tightly around Lisa when she was welcomed with open arms.

“Diana! How wonderful to see you!” Lisa pulled away and peered over Diana’s shoulder, a smirk on her face. “I see Marius is still hard at work.”

“Of course, after saving his hand, there’s been no stopping him!” she laughed, a joyous ring that sounded almost like a song. “We’ve even been commissioned by several royal families! We delivered a sword just a few days ago to Gresit, I believe it was one of the son’s birthdays.”

“That’s exciting!” Lisa beamed at her. “Do you think it would be possible to speak to Marius? It’s been so long since I’ve seen him, after-all.”

“You don’t even need to ask, ma’am,” Diana playfully shoved Lisa’s shoulder as she turned to get her husband. After a few seconds, she appeared from the smoke on the arm of her husband, Marius.

He was a tall man, with choppy black hair and the stubble of a beard. There was a nasty scar running from the tip of his right eyebrow, down to the side of his lips, and he walked with a slight limp. His muscular arms were covered in an array of scars, some deeper than others, but despite his rather rugged appearance, his bright blue eyes sparkled with a delightful warmth.

“Doctor Tepes,” he rasped, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. “It’s been quite some time since we’ve last seen each other.”

“It has. But I’ll have you know that I wasn’t just lounging around!” Lisa said, and put a hand on your shoulder as she introduced you to the couple. “This is a prospective student of mine. She’s been working with me for a couple weeks now, and she’s made such significant progress, that I thought it only reasonable for me to bring her with me on my first outing back here.”

“Student, eh?” Marius looked down at you. “I didn’t know you were a teacher too.”

“I never thought that role would befall me either,” Lisa admitted. “But she approached _me_ into having her as my apprentice. She’s very skilled in the art of medicine as well.”

“Really?” Diana sounded a bit impressed. “But you look so young!”

“I’ve actually been learning about healing and medicine for almost my entire life.” you replied. “Which… _can_ be a little difficult to do if you’re a woman.”

Diana nodded her head in agreement. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard Doctor Tepes over here complaining to me about how people compare her to the senile old wisewomen that suggest you boil nettles and entrails! The ridiculousness of it all.”

You grinned, thankful that at least _these_ people understood the benefits of medicine and what Lisa was providing for them. “That’s why I sought her out,” you said, your focus back on Lisa. “I overheard rumors circulating in this village while I visited about someone who was actually taking care of and healing people! It made me very excited, as my family had been doing that for generations. I was so relieved when she said she would teach me… I honestly don’t know what I would be doing right now had she not been so kind.”

“Oh, stop it,” Lisa had a blush on her cheeks. “You are very intelligent and capable. There was no way I was going to let you just wander off after you proved to me how much you knew about medicine!”

“Now there’s no need to put yourself down either, Lisa,” Marius interjected. “It’s because of you that I have my hand.” he raised up his left hand, clenching and unclenching his fingers.

“It was due to the war,” Diana answered, after she noticed your curious expression. “He came back home after serving for around five months, with what we thought was only a broken wrist. A couple days later, and he’s suffering from a horrible fever and his hand is starting to succumb to a nasty infection. If it wasn’t for Doctor Tepes, he certainly wouldn’t have that hand.”

“Aye,” Marius looked at Lisa, the gratitude in his expression palpable. “It’s thanks to you that I have been able to keep my craft alive.”

“And you do mighty fine work!” Lisa smiled, her eyes flicking over to Marius’s workstation. “Do you think we’d be able to get a sneak peak on what you’re working on?”

Marius gave a sheepish grin, and rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean… if you really _wanted_ to, I wouldn’t be opposed--”

“Wonderful!” Lisa grabbed a hold of your hand and urged you forward.

You heard Diana laugh at her enthusiasm, and you quickly picked up your pace to avoid tripping as Lisa pulled you along.

The inside of the room was surprisingly organized, with tools being sorted into different open mason jars as storage, and rolled up parchment, with what you could only assume as design plans, rested comfortably and neatly inside one of the shelves.

Swords and shields hung on the wall, however you noted that these were not new. In fact, they were covered in scratches and dents, some of the metal on the hilt of the swords turning a dark brown as it rusted over.

“These were the weapons I was able to salvage after my time in the war,” Marius said, while he looked over the small collection fondly. “They’ve saved my life on many occasions, so I did not think it right to abandon them after my injury.”

“My father was in one of the wars,” you replied, as you continued to stare at one of the shields, it’s detailed emblem catching your eye.

Marius looked down at you, surprised. “Really? What was his name?”

You turned to Marius, a half-hearted smile on your lips. “Nicolae. Although, it is unlikely that you would have ever met him. He died in the wars against the Ottoman’s around twenty years ago.”

Marius hummed, and gave an understanding nod. “I see… I am sorry for your loss.”

You chuckled, a hint of sadness laced in your eyes. “I never met him, but my mother told me that he was a kind man and that he loved her very much. She would reminisce about him sometimes… his eyes the color of sapphires, hair a curly mess that always ended up with twigs and leaves tangled within its strands… I think…” you paused for a moment, and nibbled on your thumbnail. “I think she missed him… but she never really let on how _much_ she missed him.”

“Parents often hide their sorrow in order to remain strong for their children.” Marius let one of his large hands rest on the top of your head, before he gave you two endearing pats. “I’m sure your father is very proud of the woman that you have become.”

“Thank you… it would be nice to even have one memory of him, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.” your breath felt heavy, a sudden ache filling your chest as you said this.

“Don’t be sad, love,” Diana cooed, she and Lisa walking over to where you and Marius stood. “You can make new happy memories here, with all of us!”

“She’s right,” Lisa agreed, and bopped the tip of your nose. “Everyone here has been so thrilled to meet you!” she suddenly faltered, and her head cocked to the side as she scratched the side of her face, a nervous habit of hers. “Well… there’s one _group_ that I’m a little worried about…”

You felt anxiety start to grab a hold of you again, swallowing a lump in your throat. “What are you talking about?”

Diana groaned beside you, as she rolled her eyes. “You’re not talking about _them_ are you?”

“I’m afraid so.”

“Come now,” Marius interjected. “They’re not so bad!”

Diana scoffed, her hands placed on her hips. “You only say that because they’ve got a soft spot for you!”

“Nonsense!”

 “Oh please!” Diana said scathingly. “As soon as one of them spots you, they lure you over with lies about how they’re roof needs fixing or this one specific chair wobbles too much for their liking.”

“They’re old women, my flower,” Marius tried reasoning with Diana, but she seemed to have her mind already made up on these women. “I try and help them whenever I can!”

You craned your neck in Lisa’s direction so you could whisper in her ear, “Who are you _talking_ about?”

“They’re a group of… well, elderly patients--mostly women--that all live within close proximity to each other,” Lisa took hold of your hand again, quietly excusing herself out of the room as Marius continued his efforts to try and calm Diana down.

She lead you back outside and pointed to a group of houses that seemed to form a semicircle around a dusty pavilion that was currently filled with children playing and mothers chatting with each other as they washed their clothes in the nearby creek.

“Folks around here have gotten used to calling it the ‘Senior Alcove’,” Lisa explained, a frown on her face. “I try not to humor then too much by doing the same. They’re really not that bad! They can be a handful at some times, but they’ve been kind to me ever since first coming back from Castlevania.”

“Did something happen after your return?”

“They were a bit suspicious of me when I reappeared, arms full of tonics and different herbs to brew as tea,” she chuckled as she recalled the memory. “They found it a bit hard to believe that I had suddenly become so knowledgeable within a few months, and they also wondered where I’d been this entire time. Thankfully, I was able to convince them that I was the real deal. My mother was a big help in persuading them, too--”

“Your _mother_?” you exclaimed, mouth hung-open in mild shock.

“Yes, my mother. Did you think I was born from the Earth or something?” she laughed as she watched your expression shift from bewilderment to embarrassment, your face flushed red as you tried to clarify yourself.

“That’s… that’s not what I meant!” you pouted, arms folded across your chest. “You just never mentioned her till now. I just thought, that… well--”

“That she had passed away?” Lisa finished, and smiled at you to help ease away your anxious gaze. “Don’t worry, it’s only fair that you believed that. She was one of the few people who supported me in my decision to pursue medicine. Although… she was definitely _not_ the biggest fan of me scaling the castle of a supposed monster to do it.”

You gave a quiet chuckle, amused at the thought of Lisa breaking the news that she had _married_ the man everyone seemed to fear so much. “Do you think… do you think that I could meet her?”

“But of course!” Lisa seemed to wiggle excitedly where she stood. “She’ll be absolutely thrilled to hear that I’ve managed to snag an apprentice! Though, it’ll have to wait till we visit the elders. I want to make sure that you leave a good impression on them.”

“Don’t think you’re getting away _that_ easily!”

The both of you whirled around to find Diana and Marius walking over, a bundle of brown rags nestled within Diana’s arms.

“Seems I finally managed to calm her down,” Marius said, a nervous bout of laughter coming from his as Diana elbowed him in the ribs.

“I felt so bad for just… bursting out like that, I told Marius to fix something up real quick for the two of you.” Diana unwrapped what she kept hidden in her grasp, and revealed two round objects made of glass. She gently handed them to you and Lisa, silencing your comments on how they didn’t have to go through the trouble of doing all this with a single stare.

You examined the gift, a circular piece of pristine glass that was surrounded by a fine ring of maple wood. You had never seen anything like it before, and were more than a little confused as to what it’s function could be.

“It’s a sort of magnifying device!” Diana clarified. She grabbed hold of yours and lifted it up to the sky, the glass glittering under the bright sunlight. “It makes it easier for you to look at the finer details of a project. Marius uses them all the time to assist in his work.”

“You made this?” you inquired, more than a little impressed.

Marius nodded his head. “It’s vastly improved my ability to craft even the most delicate of orders. I thought that they might help if you ever needed to look more closely at an injury or… something like that.”

“This is wonderful! It’s almost like a mini telescope!” Lisa was absolutely delighted, and pocketed the small tool within the safety of her napsack.

It took her a second to realize that the three of you were looking at her as though she had just spoken Greek, and she gave a quiet chuckle. “It’s… it’s a device that my husband invented that works in a similar fashion; magnifying faraway objects that you would like to observe more closely.”

“Magnifying objects huh…” Marius mused, and rubbed his chin in a pensive manner. “I quite like the sound of that. I think I shall call them _magnifying glasses_.”

“Ooh! Make sure to write that down somewhere!” Diana chimed. “My husband sure is brilliant, isn’t he?”

Marius blushed and pulled her into a tight embrace. “It’s only because I have someone like you in my life to inspire me, my flower.”

Diana’s jubilant laughter rang out as he hugged and kissed her.

The couple bid the both of you farewell as Lisa lead you to the Senior Alcove, Marius managing to shout one last message at your retreating forms, “Make sure to stop by if you ever need anything, ladies!”

The children and their mother’s who had been passing the day there all grew very excited upon recognizing Lisa, and while she struck up conversations with the adults, the children were much more interested in _you_.

It was rare that a stranger came through the village, and when you mentioned that you had been traveling all throughout Wallachia before meeting Lisa, they demanded to know what it was like out there.

Seeing their little eyes fill with excitement when you mentioned the towering mountains to the north, or the beautiful beaches of the south, more than made up for the overabundance in questions that they had. It was a wave of cries and disappointed grumbles when Lisa came over and told them that you had to go speak with the elders, but you promised that the next time you visited, you would make sure to stop by and tell them more of you adventures.

You have to admit that you were a little nervous meeting these old women, and you guessed that Lisa could sense your apprehension, for the first person that you met was named Miruna, and she had to be one of the gentlest people you have ever met. Her light blue eyes crinkled whenever she smiled, her long, starlight hair pulled into a loose bun on the back of her head. She was one of the first people that Lisa ever treated, and she thanked God every day for bringing such an angel into their lives.

The next few people went about as smoothly, and although you tried your best to remember everyone’s names, it was becoming rather difficult, your brain becoming muddled and tired after such an eventful day.

As the two of you said your farewells to the final woman, Tatiana, you let out a long slow exhale, and rubbed your sore temples.

“Is everything alright?”

Your arms flopped to your sides in an exasperated huff, but you managed to give Lisa a weak smile. “Yeah… I’m just a little tired, is all.”

“Did that gang wear you out more than you expected? You could have told me if it was too much--”

“No,” you stopped her. “They were actually fine. They… reminded me of the ladies that my grandmother used to hang out with all the time. I think my brain is just a little loopy from all of the human interaction.”

Lisa gave your arm a reassuring squeeze. “Hmm… maybe I can let you off a little early today.”

“What? There’s no need to do that--” you protest, but Lisa shook her head.

“Nonsense, I can take care of things on my own. If you aren’t able to put one-hundred percent into your work, then it wouldn’t be fair of me to keep you.”

“Are… are you sure? This was supposed to be my first day, and I’d hate to disappoint you like this…”

She pulled you into a hug, before placing a delicate kiss on your forehead. “You could never disappoint me, little one. I want you to eat a good hearty dinner and get a good night’s sleep, because I expect you ready to go bright and early tomorrow morning!”

You let out a sigh of relief, new energy coursing through your veins as you pictured yourself back at Castlevania, laying on your comfortable bed.

“Oh um… I… I would still like to meet your mother, if that’s okay?”

“I thought that you would say that,” Lisa giggled, and turned your attention to a small cottage that rested near the bend of the creek.

It looked similar in style to Lisa’s office, although it was definitely smaller. A large apple tree stood nearby, crisp red apples hanging off the healthy branches that drooped from the weight of the fruit. Small song birds pecked at the apple cores that had been left around the trunk by hungry animals, before they fluttered away when the loud caw of a raven could be heard.

You gasped out of fright when a large black bird swooped down from the sky, it’s wings fluttering once, twice, before it settled itself on an open windowsill. Its pointed peak ducked between its feathers to pick and preen, its long claws sunk into the wood as it paid no mind to neither you or Lisa.

“Munnin, is that you?”

A woman with sea-green eyes and greying blond hair worn in a stacked braid poked her head out of the window, her attention focused on the raven before she exclaimed in surprise, “Oh! Lisa!” at the sight of her daughter.

You heard footsteps rush to the front door, which was immediately yanked open as Lisa’s mother ran out to wrap her arms tightly around her daughter.

“My stars! I was not expecting to see you today!” she said, giving her daughter a kiss on each cheek.

“You act as though we haven’t seen each other in _years_ , mother.” Lisa replied.

“Not years, no. But it has been several months! You could have at least sent me a letter,” she grumbled.

“You know you’re always welcome to visit!”

“And how was I supposed to get there? On these two legs? Now you’re _barking_.”

Lisa rolled her eyes and stepped aside so that you were in view. “Mother, I would like to introduce you to someone.” she began, and waved you over as she introduced you.

You gave her mother an awkward wave, silently praying that she would accept you as being worthy as her daughter’s student.

“A teacher? You?” she sounded incredulous. “My… that’s absolutely _wonderful!_ ”

Your breath was suddenly knocked out of you as she brought you into a tight hug, the smell of flowers and firewood catching your attention.

“I was always a little worried about my Lisa learning about all of this medical stuff, but knowing that she has someone that can continue her work, makes me very happy.”

“Thank… thank you, ma’am.” you said quietly.

“Oh, where are my manners!” she said, and grabbed both you and Lisa’s hand. “Come, let’s go inside. I can put some tea on the kettle. Do you have a specific kind that you like?” she turned to you, and you felt yourself clam up at the attention.

“Uh… well, I like most tea so I’m sure whatever you make will be just fine.”

“Peppermint it is, then. And you can call me Crina, dear. I do hate formalities.”

The inside of Crina’s home was as warm and inviting as she was. A small fireplace stood in the far back, a cozy fire crackling away in its hearth. Although it was all just one floor, each corner of the house seemed to be separated for its specific purpose. The kitchen was quaint, with fresh herbs hanging from the ceiling and charming porcelain plates neatly stacked inside of a glass cabinet.

There was a large plush couch and two armchairs placed around the fireplace, a beautiful violet rug resting in between them. Large shelves filled with books stood beside the fireplace, and a quick scan let you see that they were mostly storybooks, or tomes written on mythology and ancient cultures. A wooden kitchen table with two chairs on either side had a crystal vase filled with a bouquet of wildflowers on it, and a little ways from that, was a box filled with an assortment of children’s toys.

 _A curious thing for a woman her age to have,_ you thought.

Your attention was quickly directed to a rack that stood nearby, where beautiful shirts and dresses looked as though they were drying in the waning sun. They appeared homemade, by the looks of it, and you silently admired the craftsmanship as Crina went on with brewing some water for the tea.

“My mother was a seamstress when I was little,” Lisa said, as she approached you. “She’s very talented, and continues to make clothes for herself and for people in the village. I’ve told her that there’s no need, since we’re certainly not lacking in funds ever since I married my husband, but she still enjoys doing it.”

“That’s because,” Crina replied, as she walked to the kitchen table, a silver platter with three teacups, sugar, and spoons in her hands. “There is always a need for clothes and blankets. I tell folks that there’s no need to pay me, but they always insist on some form of compensation for my work.”

You took a seat beside Lisa, thanking Crina as she handed you a cup and filled it with the hot water from the kettle. “I can see why people urge you to take something in exchange, I haven’t seen such fine sewing since my grandmother.”

Crina grinned, lifting the lid off a small tin to procure a biscuit for you. “This one certainly knows how to flatter the ladies,” she teased.

You laughed as you accepted the treat, dunking it into your peppermint tea to let it soak up the flavor before popping the whole thing into your mouth. “Do you make clothing for the children, as well? I noticed the box of toys over in the corner.”

Crina took a sip of her tea, and nodded her head. “I sometimes make clothes for the little ones, but usually it’s just sewing back a button or replacing a stitch. I’ve recently become a sort of nanny for the village, watching over the children when I’ve seen how much their poor mother needs a break.”

Hearing this, a fond feeling settled into your heart, and you’re taken back to warm, happy memories of times with your own grandmother. You thought that they would get along, she and Crina, and the thought made you smile.

“Well, enough about me, why don’t you tell me what you’ve been up to--” she was interrupted by loud cawing from outside her window, Crina letting out a huff as she stomped over to see who was causing all that racket.

“Hugin and Munnin! Screaming your heads off is certainly _not_ the way to grab my attention!” she shook her finger at the two, before she made her way to the kitchen and grabbed two chicken drumsticks from her meat storage.

“Who is she talking to?” you whispered.

“Do you remember the raven we saw, perched outside the window just before she noticed me?”

“Yes?”

“That one was Munnin. She has two ravens that visit her nearly every day for food and, remarkably, companionship.”

You blink, and then look over at Crina, who was cooing and stroking the head of one of the raven’s as it picked at the meat with its sharp beak and talons.

“Those ravens… are your pets?”

Crina turned back to you and Lisa, and shook her head. “No, no. I would never call them my pets. I like to consider them more as companions. Munnin is a sweetheart, she brings me presents, shiny things that she finds scattered throughout the village. Hugin is a big old oaf, but he means well.”

“Hugin and Munnin…” you mutter to yourself. “They aren’t by chance… named after Odin’s ravens, are they?”

“Oh! Astute this one!” Crina exclaimed happily. She shuffled her way over to one of the bookshelves and plucked one off the shelf, a worn tome whose spine was starting to tear apart. “I simply love reading about myths and legends from around the world,” she flipped through the text, which had elaborate drawings of Norse gods and inscriptions of famous stories. “So I thought it only appropriate to name my two friends here after Odin’s familiars.”

You thought it was cute, albeit a little unusual, that these two birds of prey became so attached to this kind old woman. It seemed as though you had opened the floodgates however, and Crina started going on and on about gods and goddesses, holy places and sacred places.

You knew some of the names she mentioned, having prayed to a few of them yourself, but you were surprised to find out how many deities you didn’t even know existed. Eir, for instance, was a goddess of healing, your speciality, and yet you never read about her in your studies.

Although you would have liked to stay and hear more about this secret passion of Crina’s, you felt your eyes grow heavy with exhaustion. You did not want to appear rude, and cut her off, but it was becoming more difficult with each passing second to stay awake.

Someone poked you lightly on the shoulder, which caused you to jump and blurt out,

“Yes, yes! I’m listening!”  
  
Lisa’s laughter brought a flush to your cheeks, your ears turning red from humiliation. “Are you tired, love?”  
  
“Who, me?” you feigned. “No, not at all--why?”

“You can’t lie to two mother’s, dear!” Crina said, a toothy smile on her face. “I appreciate you trying to tough it out to listen to an old woman’s tales, however.”

You sunk lower into your chair, mortified that they had noticed you falling asleep. “I’m sorry… I really would love to hear more about these legends, I’m just…”  
  
“Exhausted?” Lisa stated.

“Don’t worry your little head off, my dear,” Crina wrapped up a couple biscuits and handed the bundle to you. “Take this as my compensation for your time, and as a binding for that promise of future visits.”  
  
You eagerly took the cookies, setting them in your pocket for safe keeping. “Thank you. Now, um, do you want me to head back to the castle?”  
  
“If you think you can manage to stay awake, then by all means. If not, I have a cot that you can sleep on in my office, if you’d like.”

The offer sounded tempting, but you would much rather sleep in your own bed. “I think I can handle it.”

After saying goodbye to Crina, and promising Lisa that you make a swift and safe trip back home, you started the trek back to her office. You found Clara lounging under a tree, her head resting upon the soft ground as she watched the animals and bugs that lived near the creek.

When she saw you, she gave a delighted cry, standing up so she could trot over and greet you. You stroked her mane, before you leaned forward to rest your tired head on her neck. The aroma of grass, hay and sunlight made you feel at ease, and after grabbing your things from inside, you pulled yourself up onto the saddle and kicked Clara into motion.

A peaceful tranquility had settled over the evening, the hum of cicadas ringing in your ears as you made your way through the woods. Animals that had been busy foraging throughout the day were heading back home for the night, much like yourself. You spotted a few birds here and there, and even a small herd of deer, but other than that, it was just you, Clara, and the trees.

This was what you needed more than anything, just some time to be alone in nature. You took a deep breath, the scent of a fresh summer breeze filling your lungs. It gave you a bit of energy, just enough, you thought, to stay away till you made it back.

As you thought of the castle, your mind wandered. You had promised Adrian that the two of you would meet again tonight for lessons, but, you were sure he’d understand once you explained how tired you were.

 _Hmm… that boy…_ you mused, eyes glazed over as you recalled the smile he had given you this morning.

Your heart started to beat faster, and your breath caught in your throat, but you grimaced. There… there was no time for such foolish things.

Another tug at your heart, and the events that transpired in your dream came circling back around. You still had no idea what that voice meant about ‘the language’, but you found it rather odd that the wolf on Adrian’s shield had manifested itself. The more you thought about this dream, the more frustrated you became. What the _hell_ did it all mean?

As you rounded over the last hill, the towering pillars of Castlevania rose up in the distance, and you clicked your tongue to urge Clara into a run. You kept telling yourself that you were just excited to get to bed and finally get some rest, but… that _tug…_

Clara whinnied as you reached the top of the garden path, and you looked down at her, concern laced on your features.

“What is it, girl?”

She craned her head, as if pointing out something with her snout. Following her advice, you glanced up and nearly fell out of your seat.

Waiting for you, at the entrance back into the castle, was…

“Adrian?”

You pulled on the reins to drag Clara to a halt, your breath leaving you in shallow puffs as you stared down at him. “What are you doing here?”

He walked over to you, a soft smile on his face. “It’s quite easy to spot a pure white horse amongst all of this green,” he teased, and laughed as your cheeks turned red. “I thought you might need some help after such a long day.”

There was that tug again.

You brushed some hair out of your face, and swung your legs around. “Thank you, but I can manage--”  
  
“Don’t be so stubborn,” he held out a hand for you, as he offered to help you down.

Your eyes widened slightly, but you told yourself to remain calm, he was just being _polite_. Your hand settled into his, your skin prickling with heat as he enclosed his fingers around it to ease you off Clara’s back.

When your feet touched the ground, you glanced back up to thank him, but your words seemed to fail you again as you stared into his brilliant eyes. It seemed as though time stood still as the two of you gazed upon each other, eyes half-lidded, and your hand still held gently within his.

He leaned closer, his warm breath fanning your face as he asked, “So, how did your first day go?”

You gave a meek laugh. “Your mother had me meet nearly every villager in Lupu, but by the end of it, I was so drained that I could hardly think to stay awake to begin my training.”

“You’re tired?” There was worry in his tone, his free hand reaching up to brush away some of your hair.

“I am but…” your voice trailed off, all senses lost in his eyes, his smell, his touch… “I could try and push through for our lesson.”

His fangs flashed in the dimming light as he smiled. “You’re absolutely ridiculous.”  
  
That snapped you out of your trance. “What?”

“Nearly keeling over with exhaustion, and here you are, worried about _me._ I’m touched.”

You stuck your tongue out at him as he started to laugh. “I didn’t think it possible for your ego to get any bigger, but here you are,” you echo. “Proving me wrong.”

His laughter slowly faded, and you could have _sworn_ you saw his lips twitch up into a smirk as his fingers interlaced with yours and your cheeks rose red in color again.

“I suppose even the most arrogant of men must put aside their pride to take care of those they care about.”

Your heart leaped into your throat, and you cursed your legs for feeling so weak and wobbly as the two of you began walking to your bedroom. In spite of being a bundle of nerves, it was oddly calming, walking down the halls of Castlevania, hand-in-hand with Adrian.

You felt… safe, secure, _happy_.

It was almost a bit maddening how disappointed you felt when you saw your bedroom door, selfishly not wanting to part from him so soon. But you told that part of yourself to be quiet, and reluctantly pulled away from his grasp to instead grab hold of the doorknob.

You awkwardly cleared your throat, and pointed to your door. “Well, I… guess this is goodnight.”

“Just promise me that you’ll get a good night’s rest so you won’t be completely useless tomorrow,” he snarked.

“For saying that,” you retorted. “I’ll make sure I _sleep_ in, just to spite you.”

“You just love tormenting me, don’t you?”

“Someone’s gotta do it.”

There was that darn tug again.

But… you seemed to feel it as he drew closer, his blond hair brushing softly against your face. A spike of electricity shoots through your veins as you felt his warm lips brush delicately on your cheek, worried that sparks of magic would whirl off the tips of your fingers from excitement.

As he steps back, his fingers wrap around your hand again, giving it a gentle squeeze before he whispers goodnight, your name tumbling off his lips like a ghostly whisper.

All you can do is give him a half-hearted wave as he disappears down the hallway, your body going to auto-pilot as you walked into your room and got ready for bed. Pulling the warm blankets around yourself, you were finally able to process what had just happened.

The memory kept replaying in your head, your heart leaping into your throat each time you did. Had that really just happened? It all felt like a dream…

Yes, _dreams…_ what peculiar little things they were.

You thought of that voice, and you lifted up your hand into the air, rubbing your index finger against your thumb as though you held the hibiscus that you had imagined.

_What did it mean… ‘the language’? And why was there a hibiscus of all things there too?_

You rolled over onto your side as you wracked your brain to try and decipher these riddles. It was then that you had an idea.

 _The fairies_ , you thought, and sat up to look out the window of your room to see a view of the dark, sleeping forest below. _I should go and see the fairies… they were in my dream too, so maybe they could have an idea about what it’s trying to say._

You nodded in agreement with yourself and lay back down, agreeing to go and find Aria and the rest of her friends after you were finished with everything.

A dreamy sigh leaves you lips as your body relaxes, winding down for the day as you finally relax, and finally feel like you're...  _home._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy pride here's an 11k chapter :)
> 
> >>on a more serious note
> 
> holy COW guys the overwhelming support that i have been getting for this story fills me with so much joy!! every comment u leave is read & v much appreciated <3 i love this story sm and im so excited to share the upcoming chapters with you!! the story is finally starting to pick up!! 
> 
> tysm for all the kind words and support. i'll see u in the next chapter <3


	8. She Loves Me, She Loves Me Not

 

 

The warm months of summertime slowly began to cool, an early warning of fall creeping in with her long, colorfully chilled breaths. You had picked up on the crispness to the air, an icy feeling settling into the back of your throat as you trekked to the greenhouse especially early the following morning. 

Plants that preferred the warming months were starting to become _especially_ stuffy about the noticeable frostiness of the breezes that funneled through their leaves and branches. 

Pots of large, lush saragundi would cry out for your help if one of the windows was open near them, their feather-like leaves quivering from the cold. The neem trees that were potted not too far from them, would grab at your arms, and ask you to use that spell again, just _one_ more time!

You would shoo them away, and tell them that they had to stop being so dramatic. If they couldn’t deal with a little cold, then they would be of no use to you; you needed strong, resilient strains that would only grow more potent with each generation.

That usually shut them up.

Actually, you began to note that _most_ of the plants had started trying to lure you in for some extra attention ever since you had shown them all that spell. You had simply hung moon and sun stones all around the greenhouse, and then uttered a quick health and harvest spell that would amplify the rays! They thought that _you_ were the one who always blessed them with just the right amount of sunshine or moonlight. No matter how often you pointed to the stones that twirled above your head, they would write those off as decoration-- not that they didn’t enjoy them though, they were awfully pretty!

You knew that you would get side-tracked from your original purpose when you finally entered the greenhouse. Once the plants sensed that it was _you_ that had walked in, they knew they could begin their griping and whining about whatever it is they needed, because you would always do anything they wanted. It was a little frustrating at times, especially when you really needed just _one_ trimming or _one_ jar of herbs, as you did now. It would really put a dent in your schedule. 

You needed to start being more firm with them.

As you continued to shove past extended branches and clingy vines, you picked up on the sound of laughter and excited chit-chat. Craning your neck in the direction of the tiny voices, you noticed that you were standing beside one of the fairy gardens you had helped set up. 

There was a group of four fairies playing and lounging on large brown mushrooms with domed tops. Their little hands were cupped around the heads of lily of the valley that they used as goblets, sipping daintily on the fresh water that streamed down like tiny waterfalls from the aqueduct. Others played amongst the plush moss and tiny flowers that bloomed near a small puddle that had formed from many rains ago. They twirled the flowers in their hands and made tiny crowns with the moss. 

It was a charming scene, but you realized that none of these fairies were Aria, so you felt a little awkward just standing there and watching them.

One of them finally noticed your presence, her big, honey colored eyes looking up at you. She had deep red hair that was pulled up into a bun on the top of her head. She wore golden earrings that sparkled with tiny sapphires. She had golden gauntlets as well, and her dress pooled at her feet, a beautiful white top that faded into a rich red. Her wings looked like butterflies, well, if butterflies had _translucent_ wings. 

She flew up to you, a curious look on her face as she assessed you. “Hmm…”

You lean forward a bit, and offer the palm of your hand out for her to stand on. “Um… hello…?” your meek greeting certainly made _you_ cringe, but you hoped that you hadn’t somehow offended her in any way, what with the critical look she was giving you.

“Are you the girl that Aria’s been telling us about? Lisa’s student?” 

“Uh… uh…” you stuttered. “Yes, that’s me.” 

Did she really know who you were?

She gave a quiet _hmph,_ and put her hands on her hips. “You do not appear as ‘ _splendid’_ as Aria has been toting that you were.”

A lump settled into your throat as she said this, and you suddenly felt very self-conscious. You had tried so hard to make peace with the fairies that lived here… you wanted to be friends with them, to see if you could work with them in producing some especially formidable healing magic. But hearing what this… rather _haughty_ fairy had snarked your way, honestly stung your pride a little. 

“Well… I…” you fumbled over your words, face turning red from either embarrassment or anxiety, you couldn’t tell. “If there was something I did… I just-- I just want to apologize--” 

“Oh there is _nothing_ for you to apologize about!”

Another fairy, with short blond hair that curled into a cute bob, drifted swiftly through the air on the back of a newly plucked caladium leaf, of the fancy variety too! She had large, icy-blue eyes that sparkled in the morning light, a big, friendly grin on her face. She wore a cute white top and light blue shorts, some tiny golden ankle bracelets jingling softly as she jumped up and down excitedly. 

“Don’t listen to cranky old Athena over here!” she shouted, and stuck her tongue out at the red-headed fairy.

Athena gave an offended gasp, her wings fluttering quickly as she bristled with anger. “How rude! I cannot believe you would say such things to me Livy!”

Livy, the little one that had come to your rescue, only continued to stick her tongue out at Athena, even adding her hands on the sides of her face in a mocking jester. 

It was obvious that she had to be _much_ younger than this Athena character, her behavior was even a little jarring for you. 

“Now now, what is all of this commotion!” 

A fairy with lilac colored hair tied into braids flew into the scene, her pale arms folded across her chest. She groaned, and rubbed her dark blue eyes, her massive amount of hair swaying alongside her as she flew beside Livy. It was all tied back by an elegant blue ribbon, one that matched in color to the beautiful dress that covered her tiny frame. The very tips of her wings seemed to curve in, almost forming a heliocentric shape, and bright purple fairy dust rained around her feet as they fluttered quickly in the air. 

“Athena was being rude to the nice lady!” Livy pointed to you, and this new fairy gazed up at you as well. 

This was quickly becoming too much for you to handle, and you could feel your fight-or-flight instinct kicking in as more fairies became aware of the situation. You would have acted upon said instinct as well, if this new fairy hadn’t replied,

“Athena, how many times must we tell you that she is _genuine!_ Do I need to go and fetch Lockette so that you can get a quick refresher?” 

At the mention of this ‘Lockette’, Athena stiffened, and she gave you a quick (but rather forced) bow, before she flew away, her grumbles lingering in the wind as she disappeared into the plants. 

The fairy that had scared Athena away gave a quiet cough into a tiny handkerchief, before looking up and offering you a smile. 

“I am terribly sorry about that, usually _I_ am the one to greet anyone that may happen to stumble upon our tiny village. My name is Tune, it is a pleasure to meet you.” she gave you a curtsey, and you suddenly felt very awkward. 

This was… unexpected, to say the least.

“I um… I appreciate you helping me out. I… didn’t really know what to say to her,” you admitted, feeling a little dejected.

Livy flew up and landed on your shoulder, giving a _harrumph._ “Don’t you listen to a _thing_ she said! Athena can act so mean sometimes!” 

“Now Livy, there’s no point in getting all up in arms over this. It was dealt with, there’s no point in lingering in the past,” Tune said. 

Livy blinked, before the tip of her nose turned pink, her eyes downcast. “I mean… yeah, but she didn’t need to be so harsh to this nice lady! She’s done so much for us!”

You gave a bashful smile, and gently stroked Livy’s head with the tip of your index finger. “Thank you, little one, but I haven’t done _that_ much--”

“Nonsense!” Tune interrupted. “This greenhouse is _brimming_ with magic! I can’t remember the last time I felt such strong energy flowing inside these plants. Our magic is the strongest that it has been in years!”

You were astounded. You looked down at your hands, and flexed your fingers. Had you… had you transferred more of your magic onto these plants than you thought? I mean sure, you had used a couple simple spells here and there, but… there was no way that’d be enough to assist the fairies as well. 

“Aria was right!” Livy exclaimed, which made you glance over at her.

“What? What did she say?”

She flew off of your shoulder, and hovered right above the tip of your nose. “You really underestimate yourself!” she bopped your nose with her finger, and you felt the undeniable _prick_ of magic when she did that.

“I… I had no idea,” you said.

Tune gave a firm head nod in agreement to Livy’s statement. “You’ve really been such a wonderful addition to this garden.”

You definitely felt your heart _tug_ at that one.

She gave you another kind smile, and then winked. “If you ever want to talk to us, we’re usually in the rose bushes near twilight, playing with the fireflies. I’m sure Aria will want to see you, as well.”

“Thank you… I… I will definitely accept your invitation. I will see you tonight, then,” you waved at the two of them as you gathered your things (and what you had come in here for in the first place), and made your way out of the greenhouse. 

The sun was now high in the sky, and you decided that it would be best to head inside and grab some breakfast before finally meeting up with Adrian for your first day in combat training. 

To be honest, you were a little nervous. You weren’t usually a very confrontational person, better to keep it to yourself than burden your feelings on others--

Huh, that thought seemed to call you out more than you’d like it.

Anyways, you never thought to be aggressive in situations, you learned that it never really solved anything to act out in a rage. And the only experience you had with anything remotely looking like a sword, was the knife you used to cook, and the various tools you used in gardening and medicine. 

You hoped Adrian would be a good teacher… you could get frustrated at new tasks, and did not accidentally want to snap at him for something as silly as sparring. You huffed, and drew your cloak tighter around you as you walked up the stone path that lead to the backdoor. 

The white doves instantly started cooing and flocking around you when they recognized your presence, but you shooed them away. You weren’t in the mood to deal with them today.

Pushing open the door, you pull back your hood and toss the cloak onto a nearby chair. You were wearing a white top with sheer sleeves that rested delicately on your shoulders, and a pair of loose, worn, comfortable brown trousers. You realized that morning that your undergarments had to be _especially_ supportive today, and made sure that your chest was bound a little more tightly than usual. 

Your black flats were silent as you trekked across the plush floor of the hallways, the possibility of missing breakfast urging you to go faster, because you did not want to start the day on an empty stomach. 

The scent of fresh baked bread kindly greeted your senses, and you let out a delighted hum as its warmth seeped through you. Walking into the kitchen, you find that Lisa has just taken a loaf out of the oven, the rest of the breakfast options already laid out on the table. There was yogurt, made fresh from the village, and butter as well, along with an assortment of vegetables from the local market. 

Vlad sipped on a strong cup of coffee, and nibbled on some salted tomatoes while his son ate the yogurt he had helped himself to. 

“Oh! There you are!” Lisa exclaimed, as she shuffled over to the table, bread basket in hand. “I went to go wake you, and you were already out of bed! I assumed you just went to the garden?”

You nodded your head and took a seat beside Adrian. “Yes, I’m… I’m sorry, I should have told you that I went there.”

Lisa waved off your concern, and cut off a slice for you. “There’s no need to worry about it, my dear. It tickles me how dedicated you are to your work.”

The bread was still warm, and it heated up your slightly chilled skin as you held it within your grasp. You grabbed your knife and started spreading blackberry jam on top, before you gave a slow nod. “Yeah… I… I guess I can get too carried away sometimes.” you took a bite, and then poured yourself a cup of orange juice. 

You swallowed, and then grabbed a couple spoonfuls of the strawberry yogurt. It wasn’t like you could admit that you gone there so early because thinking about a _certain_ dream had practically kept you up all night. 

“Hmm… yes,” Vlad mused, as he sipped his coffee. “You’re quite the avid academic.”

You smiled, but it did not reach your eyes. “Thank you… I guess I’ve just always been fond of learning.”

“Well, it’s certainly intriguing that your interests can also lie in something much more physically demanding.” 

You frowned, and wiped away a glob of yogurt that had missed your mouth after hearing what Vlad said. “What are you talking about?”

He blinked, confused, and then points one of his long nails at his son. “I thought Adrian had agreed to teach you how to properly use a sword? Was I mistaken?”

A flush crept up your neck, and you grew embarrassed that his parents had managed to find out about your little deal. Well… it’s not like you couldn’t _guess_ who had told him, what with the shit-eating grin that was currently on his face.

You couldn’t _believe_ him!

It was then you realized that you hadn’t answered Vlad’s question, and you divert your eyes away from his practically cackling son to say, “No… no you are correct. I just… I just didn’t expect for Adrian to tell the two of you.”

“It’s not as though I had promised not to,” Adrian replied, as he took a bite of his bread and butter. 

 _Ooh,_ sometimes you just wanted to wipe that smug grin off his face--!

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about,” Lisa said, which snapped you out of your enraged reverie. “If you ever need tips about anything, you can come to either of us for advice.”

“Wait…” you started, and then your eyes widen. “I can come to _either_ one of you?”

“That’s what she said,” Vlad replied. “I would think a woman such as yourself would not be fazed by the knowledge of my dear Lisa being skilled at the blade.”

“Oh… oh, well, um, no… that’s not what I meant!” you fumble over your words, but one kind smile from Lisa is all it takes to settle your rampant heart. “I…” you take a deep breath. “I just… was surprised is all, especially after making acquaintance with said sword.”

Both of his parents heads swivel to look at Adrian, their eyes widened just slightly. “You showed her your familiar?” Lisa inquired.

Adrian looked at them both, and took a sip of his tea before responding, “Of course. She’s met all of them.”

“Even Matthias?” Vlad spat, and made a crude noise. “Pah! I’m sorry you had to put up with that fool.”

You laughed. “Oh… well, I’ve heard worse, although it certainly did take me by surprise.”

“What exactly did he say?” Lisa asked after her husband.

“He asked me if I had sipped on any blood lately,” you chuckled, and swiped off a stripe of jam off of your bread. “Cuz I’m a witch, see?”

Lisa rolled her eyes, and reached over to put two sugar cubes into her coffee. “I try my best to be patient with him, but it’s even a hassle for me.”

“If he’s so terrible,” you comment. “Then why even have him as a familiar?”

“He was cursed,” Adrian replied. “Wherever it was he served as King, one of his final acts was condemning a woman to be locked up in a tower and she cursed him. She proclaimed that his soul shall only find rest after serving a family of vampires for one hundred years. It was something she added in as a special touch, considering rumors had floated about around _her_ being a vampire-- which were completely untrue.” 

“How did you even find him in your care?” you were all too interested to find out more about this ghost. 

“He had been living in my castle for about… ten or so years before I met Lisa?” Vlad recalled. “I had not personally interacted with him all that much, but my old librarian friend would certainly _remind_ me of how much of a headache he could be sometimes.”

You let out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who’s head he wants to bite off.”

“Don’t worry about him too much, Adrian’s other familiars are _much_ sweeter!” Lisa cooed.

“Oh yes!” you said in agreement. “Cereza was especially sweet to me when I met her. Oh! And Hatred gave me some sort of card?”

“A card?” Lisa echoed.

You could not tell if she appeared at all unnerved by this information, and took a sip of juice to calm your nerves. “I… well, I’ve never really interacted with demons before, so I just took it. Was that bad?”

She turned to look at Vlad, but he did not appear at all worried. “Fret not, it’s just a simple calling card. All you must do is project your location onto it, and Hatred will appear to assist you in whatever way he can.”

“He did say that’s all it was,” you mumbled, as you remembered that adventure you and Adrian undertook together in the caverns beneath the castle. 

“Yes, he’s harmless,” Vlad insisted, and carved off three thick pieces of dried sausage, and then popped one into his mouth. “So when do you think you’re going to begin her training?”

He was looking at Adrian, who peered over beside you. “We can start immediately, if that’s what she wants.”

You felt your heart rate pick up again, and you quickly scarfed down the rest of your bread and juice. You wiped off your top lip, and shook the crumbs from your shirt as you got up out of your chair. “Then let’s go!”

Adrian blinked up at you, and then quiet chuckles tumble from his lips. “I see your fierce dedication does not only lie within the realm of academia either.”

“Once I’ve set my mind to something, there’s no going back,” you stated firmly. “Are you prepared to teach me?”

His eyes flashed dangerously in the low light, and caused a chill to run up your spine. “Now, I appreciate dedication, but there’s no need to get _cocky_.” 

Your cheeks heat up again, and all you can do is start walking out of the kitchen as Adrian follows you and instructs you how to get to where it is he practiced. 

“Those two are certainly _quite_ the pair.” Lisa quietly whispered to her husband, a coy smile on her lips.

“Yes… quite the pair indeed.”

* * *

Adrian walked ahead of you, his quick footsteps hardly making a sound as he lead you down hallways and down several flights of stairs. When he pushed open a large wooden door, you discover that the floors are no longer covered in long, red carpet, but instead, in beautiful marbled tiles. 

This entire stretch of the castle seemed to be completely decorated with marble, save for the large, bronze statues of elegant Grecian women that lined the corridor. It was impressive, how every single one of them was different, from their facial expressions, to their hair, down to even the tiny details on their outfits. 

You hear Adrian call after you when he noticed that you’d straggled behind his swift pace, and you quickly jog over to catch up to him. 

“I was just admiring the sculptures,” you said.

“I know, but we don’t have that much time. My mother wants the two of you setting out to Lupu just before mid-day.” he explained, and gave an irritated sigh when you got distracted by another piece of artwork. 

You couldn’t help it, this castle was almost like it’s own personal gallery with how much art decorated its halls. But this one especially… it was a massive painting that nearly took up an entire wall. 

A bizarre depiction of an ancient Greek civilization with temples and pantheons, was overrun with the dead that had been killed by winged skeletons wielding scythes. People cowered in fear below the most ominous figure in the painting, a terrifying skeletal figure with boney wings and a cloak of darkness that seemed to swallow the sky itself. 

The hollow pits of its eyes seemed to draw you in, coaxing out the primal fears that you had long since forgotten, the kind that you would leave swirling deep within the recesses of your mind. It was almost as if… you could hear the very faint whisper of your name emanate from its menacing mouth, and you felt unable to move, as though you had been frozen on the spot by its deadly gaze.

 Adrian calls your name again, and you feel as though you’ve been pulled out of a fog, and you suddenly feel dazed and confused. That had been so strange…

“Are you just going to stand there all day, or are we actually going to get some practice in?”

Your eyes linger on the painting for another brief moment, before you pull away and join Adrian at the top of a long, winding set of stairs that he _promised_ would be the last you’d need to descend. 

The walk down was a lot longer than you had anticipated, and you nervously followed close behind Adrian, who lit the way ahead with the torch that he held in his hands. You were worried that you might trip, the steps were small and the staircase spiraled down to the bottom, but you were too prideful to ask for Adrian to slow down or… goddess forbid, hold his _hand_.

So you held your tongue, and put all of your focus to reaching the bottom, and once you finally made it, you let out a huge sigh of relief. 

This area of the castle was certainly the strangest part you had ever been in. It appeared much… older, with its stonewalls being weathered and covered in scrapes and deep, jagged cuts. Large, crossed iron spears stood behind a brazier torch, and as you continued walking deeper into this place, you noticed that there were several stone carvings on the wall of a warrior, a gladiator by the looks of it. 

The massive hallways seemed to shrink as you hopped up a small set of stairs that lead up into a large arena, torches burning with bright blue flames illuminating the place. There was no doubt in your mind that you currently standing inside of a massive colosseum, in awe of its large marble pillars and the rows and rows of seats that curved around the battle arena. 

It made no sense for something like this to be here, but you thought back to the intricate series of underground caverns that you had explored a few weeks ago, and came to see that this castle was _a lot_ more impressive than you thought. 

“This… _this_ is where you practice?” you said, finding it hard to hide your shock. 

Adrian nodded, and made his way over to the rack of weapons that stood nearby, easily picking out his from the rest of the stack. He unsheathed his sword and grabbed a firm hold of the hilt, letting it rest against his side as he moved over to let you inspect the array of blades available. 

As you looked over the line-up, it became very apparent that you had absolutely no idea what you were doing. You had never used a sword in your life, so you hadn’t the slightest clue on where to start in order to find the right blade for you. All of these looked _much_ too long for you to be able to confidently control, not that you were too _confident_ in the first place. 

After a few more moments of silence, you finally admitted, “I… don’t really know what I’m supposed to be looking for here.” 

Adrian hummed to himself, and then started gracefully circling around you with his long, lithe legs. Admittedly, it made you a little nervous, since it felt as though he was scrutinizing every little thing about you. 

A breath you don’t remember holding slipped past your lips when his attention went back to the swords. 

“I use a longsword,” he explained, and rested part of his blade in the palm of his hand. “It’s double-edged, and with it being so long, it makes it easy for me to attack foes that are wearing a full set of armor. However... ” 

He grabbed one that was much smaller, but the blade was much wider than his own sword. He twirled it easily with his free hand, and placed the hilt within your hands. “This, should do nicely. It’s called a falchion, and think it similar to a dagger, in which it is one-handed, and can be easily controlled.” 

You took the sword, and lets its weight rest inside your hands. It was heavy, sure, but… You took a firm grip of the hilt and sliced through the air a few times, and you slowly grinned at how effortless it felt. 

“Yeah,” you said, and looked up at Adrian. “This’ll do.”

He gave you a smile in return. “Excellent. Now, I would like to see your form.”

“Uh…” you chuckled, and cocked your hip out as you leaned on one side of your body. “My what?”

“Your form.” Adrian repeated plainly, although it appeared as though his meaning was still lost on you. He sighed, and snapped his fingers as he tried thinking of another word, “Your form… your stance-- the way you hold yourself in a fight.” 

“Oh!” you exclaimed. You suddenly felt very awkward, as you stiffly moved your limbs around to show off this _stance_ of yours, which really ended up resembling more of a strange crouch. 

Adrian raised an eyebrow at your display, and you immediately felt your face flush out of embarrassment. It wasn’t _your_ fault that no one had taught you how to properly present yourself, you were a healer not a fighter! 

“Well, you’re not _entirely_ incorrect. But, I do suggest straightening your back up a bit more, it’s going to help absorb a lot of the blows. Same with the knees, I would straighten those up a bit as well.” 

You took his advice, but by the look on his face, you could sense that he was still unimpressed by what he was seeing. “Why don’t we… why don’t we just try? So you can see my fighting style?”

“I’m not going to start until you’ve improved your form, I don’t want you unnecessarily hurting yourself,” he stated. 

“How do you know what I need to improve on unless we actually try fighting?” you countered, hands on your hips.

Adrian was silent for a moment, but then nodded his head. “Very well. For the sake of practice, you will turn around and we shall each take three steps. Once I am done counting, then it is fair game to make your move. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” you said with conviction, and raise your sword to rest against your chest, emulating the position that Adrian had taken.

“On the count of three,” Adrian declared.

“One,”

Your heart began to race, and you took a deep breath in order to calm your nerves. Sword fighting couldn’t be that complicated, could it? Surely you would be able to figure it out. 

“Two,”

Your mouth felt dry, but you had to keep reminding yourself that Adrian was not going to hurt you, he was there to teach you! Plus, you don’t think Lisa would be all too happy if her apprentice got injured during sword practice.

“Three.”

You spun on your heel and found yourself face-to-face with Adrian, who had swiftly lowered his sword. 

Neither of you moved, and as you continued to stand there, an awkward laugh threatened to escape because you were so unsure as to what to do. 

“Anytime you want to strike--” your words were cut short as he charged towards you, and you barely had enough time to raise your sword and parry the blow. 

Your feet fumbled in the dust, and you were pushed back a couple inches from the force of his attack. You heard the _whoosh_ of steel cutting through the air, and clumsily side-stepped to avoid getting stabbed in the stomach. 

“Hey! Watch it!” you cried out, and blocked another two blows. The way you held your sword was quickly becoming less favorable by the minute, and you cringe as you felt your right arm sting from what could only be a sore muscle. 

You attempt to slash at Adrian when he gets too close, but he easily maneuvers out of the way, and the last thing you remember is him spinning around in front of you, before landing onto the ground with a loud _oof_. 

As you grumbled about your sore behind, you freeze when the sharp pointed steel of his blade presses against the column of your throat. All you can do is stare up at him, wide-eyed, as he withdraws his sword and plants it firmly into the dirt. 

“You need to pay attention to an opponent’s feet, as much as their hands,” he said, and offered his hand to help pull you up. 

Begrudgingly, you take it, and rise to your feet, pride a bit more scorned than you would have liked as you dusted off your pants. “There was no need to show off…” 

“Show off?”

“You could have at least gone a little easier on me!” you cried out. “I nearly tore a muscle with how hard you were swinging that thing,” you continued to grumble to yourself as you rubbed said shoulder and put away your sword. 

“But… I _was_ going easy on you,” Adrian walked over and gently placed a hand on your sore shoulder. “You’re just not used to moving your body this way.”

You gave an irritated sigh, as you tried not to snap at him. It wasn’t his fault, well… mostly. 

“Yeah, sure, you’re right… I just need to practice more.”

You felt dejected, and told him that it would just be best if you stopped for the day, noting that you should probably head back up to begin preparations for that afternoon. 

After putting away his sword, Adrian lead you out of the colosseum, the walk back to the castle quiet and a little tense. The higher you climbed, the guiltier you felt for getting so agitated at him earlier. He was trying his best, and you shutting down was not going to exactly help your cause. 

When the two of you exited the marble gallery, he gave you a polite curtsey before taking the split path and disappearing down another part of the castle. Your heart ached, you could sense that you had hurt him somehow, but… you had to get ready, your first day as Lupu’s newest doctor started today. 

You pulled open your bedroom door and grabbed a hold of your bag, shifting through its contents to assure that nothing had fallen out the night prior. Everything you needed had already been packed, since you hadn’t had the chance to use any of it after retiring so early. 

Jars of tonics and vials full of herbs clinked around inside as you raced downstairs to meet up with Lisa in the castle courtyard. Upon exiting, you find Lisa tying provisions to the back of her horse, Cinder, who whinnies as you approach. 

“Ah, perfect. You always seem to show up just as I need you,” she said, and gave Cinder a scratch behind his ear. “I sent Adrian to go and get Clara for you, and I’m going to need you to carry that bundle over there-- seems I’ve overloaded Cinder.”

The horse gave a flick of his tail, and nudged Lisa with the tip of his snout. You could guess that Cinder was _more_ than a little grateful that he didn’t have to carry all of her cargo on his own.

You picked up on the sudden sound of hurried footsteps, and from the corner of your eye, a big white blur emerged from the side of the castle, and out came Clara with Adrian trailing behind her. 

When her round, black eyes landed on you, she slowed down to a trot, and let out a loud puff of air, head lowered so that you could stroke her mane.

“How cute,” Lisa cooed. “It makes me so happy how fond she already is of you.”

You moved some of her mane away from her eyes, and gave her nose a good scratch. “I’m grateful as well. I know all too well how much of a nuisance it is to ride a horse that does not like you in the slightest.”  

“Oh?”

“It was one of my grandmother’s horses, a great big black stallion that hated everyone but her.” you chuckled as you recall the memory. “Brutus, was his name. He made sure to make every trip to the village an absolute _hassle_.”

You looked down at Clara as she grazed at the grass around your feet, and gave her two pats on the back before hauling the supplies up to tie behind your saddle. “This little one has definitely redeemed horses for me.”

“I knew she would be a good fit for you,” Adrian said, as he finally caught up to Clara. He gave his mother a wave as she sat upon her horse, and he listened to her recount what it is you’d both be doing today. 

As you prepared to hoist yourself up, you felt something tug at your heart again. You fidgeted with the straps around the bundle of blankets and towels that you wrapped up, thinking over your words, before you turned around and called out, “Adrian?”

He slowly faces you, hands behind his back as he waited for what it is you want to say. 

“Um… would you like to meet up again tonight? Once I’ve returned from the village?” 

His eyes widened slightly, and his lips curved up into a smile, and your heart fluttered when you picked up how much happier this request had made him. He grabbed hold of your hand, and kissed the top of it, like he always did. 

“I would be delighted. I shall… see you tonight, then?” 

You nodded, and pulled yourself into your saddle, a little breathless after noticing that Lisa had been watching the two of you. As you waved him goodbye, your mind stubbornly reminded you that you had to see the fairies, or else risk another night of restless sleep. 

 _It’s alright… I’ll just try and make it back around sunset,_ you thought. 

It was a nice compromise, for even if you practiced for awhile, you would head to the garden at just around midnight, when the moon would be nice and high in the sky; a perfect time to run into magical folk.

“Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or are your cheeks flushed a rosey red, my dear?”

Lisa’s lilting voice snapped you back to reality, and the question just made your face heat up even more. 

You looked away from her, looking straight ahead in an attempt to hide your growing embarrassment. “I… I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Her delighted laughter rings all around you, and you sulk into your seat. You just hoped that the clinic would be busy enough so you wouldn’t have to discuss your complicated feelings for her son. 

* * *

The sun was high in the sky by the time the two of you pulled up to Lisa’s cottage, the bustling sounds of Lupu from below the hill allowing for a pleasant buzz to ring throughout the area. You both descended from your horses and got to work untying and unraveling the bundles of supplies that you’d brought from Castlevania. 

While Lisa was inside, restocking shelves and making sure that everything was generally in order, you tended to the horses, and gently removed the bit from their mouths. They both gave an appreciative whinny, but Clara stayed around a little longer to get a few more pets in before she galloped after Cinder, who was currently trying to snatch a low-hanging apple off of a nearby tree.

You patted your hands down on your pants, and headed inside to unpack your own bag. It wasn’t much, and you handed Lisa the vials of fresh herbs that you had picked this morning, and she accepted them with an elated thank you.

Next, you pulled out a copy of _Herbarium,_ a notable piece of text that you had been astonished to find within the medical library. It was one of the few existing works that detailed many of the viable herbs that you could find in Europe, and it also described their identifiers and even offered simple recipes. You had also brought along a copy of Maior’s _Opera Medicina,_ Magnus’s _De Vegetabilibus,_ and various incunabula on herbology-- not to mention, all of your own personal notes. Although you were certain that you’d do fine today, it was nice to have something to lean back on if you ever felt a little overwhelmed.

You hadn’t been sitting down for more than a minute before the door was already pulled open, and in walked the butcher, Petre. 

He was a large man, someone you instantly knew had been a warrior sometime in the past, with his square shoulders and big buff arms nearly the size of logs. He was a bit older, and bald, the greying of his prickly beard being one of the few indications of his age. His apron was already speckled with blood, from what, you could only guess. He held two dead roosters in one of his hands, while the other arm was cradled against his chest, a dirty cloth wrapped around his forearm. 

When he noticed you, he gave a delighted cry and walked over, his heavy footsteps making the wooden floor creak and groan out in discomfort. Petre slammed the chickens down on the table, a bundle of feathers erupting off their corpses. 

“Thought you might enjoy these for lunch, seeing how you just arrived. A little ironic that the butcher is the one who needs looked at for a wound, eh?” 

You looked at the two dead birds on the table and swallowed, unprepared for such a bizarre...  _gift_. You offered him a shy smile, and urged him to sit in the chair beside you so you could look at his wound.

Petre lets out a low hiss as you peeled off the cloth, and you narrowed your eyes at him.

“Why did you put such a _filthy_ thing on your cut?” you scolded, pouring some hot water into a bowl. 

“It was the only thing I had on me,” he replied. “At least it managed to stop the bleeding!”

You frowned, and gently began to wipe away at any dried blood or dirt that remained. “Next time just wash your hands and use that to cover it before coming here.”

He laughed, but nodded his head in understanding. “Will do lass,” he said, letting out an alarmed cry when you dabbed on some ointment. 

“Quit your cryin’,” you snapped, and continued applying it until you were satisfied. Grabbing some clean cloth from a fresh bundle, you wrapped it tightly around his arm and tied the ends together when it had been properly bandaged. “That should do it.” 

Petre flexed his arm a bit, testing the durability of the wrappings, and then offered you a kind smile. “Thank you, lass. I will try and be more careful today so as to try and avoid getting more of that ointment rubbed all over me!” he gave another hearty laugh as he bid you farewell, leaving you with the two chickens he had gifted you and Lisa.

You picked them up by their feet, and moved them to hang beside the fireplace so that you could wipe down the table; it was frankly _unsanitary_ having them so close to your workspace.

Cupping your hand at the edge of the table, you collected all of the stray feathers and tossed them out of an open window. You could hear Lisa walking out of her lab as you washed your hands, and you chuckled at her reaction of finally noticing the chickens. 

“I see that Petre has already been here.”

“Yes,” you said, and walked over to a cabinet, pulling out several knives and a bucket. “If you want, I could clean off these birds while you attend to patients?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, it’s fine,” you grabbed them and began to head out into the backyard. “If you ever need me for anything, just call for me and I’ll make sure to scrub off any chicken guts.” 

Lisa laughed and gave you a kiss on the cheek, a gesture that filled you with warmth and appreciation. “Will do.”

You spent a good hour or so getting the chickens cleaned, gutted, cut, and washed, with intermittent breaks where you would assist Lisa with a patient. The day was going by smoothly, and after cooking up a quick meal of chicken and rice for lunch, you spent the rest of the afternoon tending to whoever and whatever walked through that door. 

Several expecting mothers had come in for their monthly checkup, while other mothers pulled their rowdy children inside, complaining about bruises and scuffs after the latest skirmish. Farmers had bandages replaced, and fresh wounds tended to, with a few receiving tonics for some persistent coughs. 

A handful of elderly townsfolk had stopped by as well, including Miruna, who had come in for a refill of mullein that Lisa had been prescribing to help her breathing. She was a sweet old woman, and as you ground up herbs for her, she recounted about the ‘healers’ they had here in Lupu before Lisa had become a doctor. 

“We had an old wisewoman,” she said. “Who turned out to be an absolute _scammer_! She sold powder to people as a medicine, but it turned out to be her dried foot skin!” 

 _“Foot skin?_ ” you blurted out, almost knocking over the contents inside the pestle from shock. “She gave you _foot skin_?”

“Aye!” Miruna replied. “I don’t know how we managed without doctor Tepes. And with _two_ excellent healers in this town, I’m sure we don’t have to worry about any sort of maladie anymore!” 

You gave her a kind smile, and handed her the mason jar filled with mullein. “Pour this in with hot water as you would any other tea, and make sure to drink it twice a day-- in the morning, and right before you go to bed. That should help with the irritation you’ve been feeling as the days get colder.”

“Thank you so much, I’m so happy that doctor Tepes has such a wonderful assistance to help her.” her old eyes crinkled with another big smile, and she waved you goodbye as she left the clinic. 

It felt nice to be given the opportunity to use the information you’ve learned to help people. Even though everyone at your coven said that you were destined to be a healer, it made you feel proud, as though you were finally honoring all of them working here in Lupu.

“You’re a natural at this,” Lisa said, from the doorway of her office. The sleeves of her light-blue dress were rolled up past her forearm, and she had a white apron wrapped around her waist, dotted with stains. “The way you’ve been handling patients is almost as though you’ve been doing it for as long as I have.”

Her comment made you blush, and you smiled bashfully. “Thank you, Lisa… I just, I don’t know, I just feel so comfortable here…” your voice trailed off for a moment, and you seemed lost in thought. “My… my family said that they knew I would make a wonderful healer someday, that _that_ was the path I would follow throughout the course of my life. Being here, with you, and being able to see my talents actually help people-- well, it’s been _amazing_.”

Lisa’s bright blue eyes sparkled in the sunlight that streamed through the windows, and her pink lips were curled up into a grin. “I am so happy that I’ve been able to help you achieve this sense of accomplishment,” she walked over and reached out her hand to give your shoulder a squeeze. “You’ve been such a welcomed addition into our lives.”

You choked up a bit as she said this, and laughed to try and prevent any tears from actually falling. “Thank you, Lisa. Thank you… thank you for giving me my life _back_.” you got up from your seat and pulled her into a tight hug, and you felt content, and you felt _complete_. 

The rest of the afternoon practically zipped by as you and Lisa continued to tend to the villagers that visited the clinic. You recognized most of the people that came by, and it was interesting to interact with them in a completely different setting. 

Valeria had stopped by to pick up an ointment that Lisa handmade herself, a lotion made of aloe and honey that helped to treat any patches of dry skin. Marian had dragged her sister Lorena in to visit, after she had managed to pick a fight with a rather feisty young buck who had gotten trapped in one of her snares. Diana stopped by as well, and while she had originally come by to stock up on some rubs that would treat any burns Marius sustained during his work, she ended up sticking around for an hour or so, chatting with both you and Lisa as the sun started to set behind the mountains.

Throughout the day, you had managed to stop yourself from slouching as much as you usually did. You realized after having sparred with Adrian, that you had gotten into the habit since you spent so much time reading at a desk, or crouched over plants as you gardened. As you and Lisa bid farewell to your final patient of the night, it appeared as though your diligent self-coaching had worked, for your back was substantially less sore. 

You stretch your arms a bit, reveling in the momentary silence, before you grab your bag and start packing up for the trip back home. 

“I’d say today was a success, wouldn’t you?” Lisa inquired, as she wiped down the table and used the leftover water to douse the fire. 

“Absolutely,” you agreed. “I’ve learned so much, even after just one day. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

“I can’t wait either,” Lisa replied, and followed you out of the clinic. She locked the door with a quiet _click_ , and adjusted the bag on her shoulder as the two of you mounted your horses and began your trek back to Castlevania. 

* * *

The ride back was uneventful, but peaceful. By the time you had arrived at the castle, the sun had long since set and the moon was slowly rising into the sky. There was a chill to the air, one that made you tighten your cloak and goose pimples erupt on your skin. You were grateful to go inside, and Lisa told you that she’d take care of putting your things away, and said that you should help yourself to any food in the kitchen.

You weren’t that hungry, but you needed to eat something before rejoining Adrian for practice. You were surprised to find a small spread on the kitchen table of breads, meats, and cheeses, and you made yourself a sandwich, sipping on some red wine as you scarfed it down. 

“I see you’ve made it back home.”

Nearly choking on your food, you cough into the crook of your arm to stifle the sound of almost hacking up a lung. You whirled your head around to find Adrian leaning against the marble countertop, a smirk on his face. 

“Do you get some sort of enjoyment out of scaring me?” you asked, and grabbed a handful of grapes from a golden bowl.

“Whatever made you think that?” he replied. 

You sighed, and got up from the table to join him where he stood. “Just a hunch,” you said, as you narrowed your eyes slightly at him.

He chuckled, and craned his head closer to you, golden eyes glittering in the candlelight. “How was your first day as a proper assistant?”

You smiled at him, and propped yourself up onto the counter. “It went very well, actually. Your mother tells me that I’m a _natural_ at being a healer.” 

“That’s no surprise,” he said. “But how well did you get along with the patients?”

“I hadn’t a single complaint. They treated me as though I had been their physician for _years_.” you playfully shoved him when you noticed him roll his eyes, obviously trying to feign offense at your jab at his inexperienced people skills. 

“You just wait till you get someone coming in asking for powdered horse dung to treat an infection, _then_ we’ll see how they feel about you.” 

You threw your head back and laughed, which caused your hand to slip a bit on the smooth marble. Your fingers grazed against Adrian’s, and your eyes snapped open to glance over at him. It appeared he noticed as well, his gaze lingering on your hands, and for a brief moment, you could have sworn that he inched closer to you, but you quickly pulled away and nervously swept some hair out of your face. 

Your body leaned away from him, ever so slightly, and you awkwardly cleared your throat to break the tension that had filtered its way into the room. “Well… uh, I guess I’ll have to hope I never encounter someone like that.” you hopped off the counter and quickly ate the rest of your grapes, tossing the stems into a nearby bucket used for compost. 

A hush fell between the both of you, one that made your nerves stand on end and caused you to fidget uncomfortably where you stood. You needed to say something… something else, to try and change the subject, this silence was _stifling_.

“Sorry, do you think that--” 

“Forgive me, but how about we--”

The two of you stared at each other, but then joined in soft laughter after interrupting one another. 

“We’re both acting pretty ridiculous, huh?” you asked, arms folded across your chest.

Adrian gave you a smile, and nodded his head. “I suppose we are.”

You hummed to yourself, and took a few tentative steps closer to where he stood. “I guess I should follow through with that offer I made you this morning, and head down to the colosseum to practice?”

“Oh yes,” a sense of relief washed over him at your suggestion, and the two of you made quick work traveling down to the ancient battle arena. 

This time, you were determined to prove to Adrian that you were capable of doing this… even if fighting with swords still made you a wee bit nervous. You firmly grasped the hilt of your blade, and took deep, calming breaths as you heard Adrian count down from three. 

When you turned to face each other, you were prepared to block a direct, oncoming blow, but instead, Adrian had put one arm behind his back and was effortlessly sporting the weight of his sword with his other hand. He made no effort to approach you, much to your dismay, so it seemed it landed on you to make the first move. 

You made quick strides across the dusty floor and positioned a strike aimed at the side of his body. This was easily parried, and every other attempt you made at hitting him were stopped dead in their tracks. An irritated growl rumbled low in your throat, so you decided to go for another tactic.

You recalled the move that he had used on you this morning, so you thought that it was time to test it out yourself. As you directed your blade to stab him in the chest, you stuck out your leg and spun around, hoping to knock him off balance and gain the upper-hand. 

Brilliant as you believed your plan was, it did not go as planned, and Adrian vanished before your very eyes as he transmuted to your right, where you were barely able to block the long swing of his sword. 

“That’s cheating!” you exclaimed. “You never said that we could use _magic!_ ”

“Yes, well, fights are hardly ever fair, small lady.” the bluntness of his tone certainly made you take a few steps back, but you had little time to think of some witty comeback as he continued his attack.

As the two of you went on with your sparring, you began to doubt if this had been a good idea. Adrian seemed to think that pushing you like this was the best way to achieve any sort of results, and although you were familiar with the concept of ‘tough love’, you knew that this was not helping you improve in the slightest. 

A particularly powerful blow caused your arm to throb in pain, and as you backed away to catch your breath, you mumbled, “Stop.”

“What?”

You stared him down, sweat dripping down your back as your eyes narrowed slightly out of annoyance. “I said stop.”

Adrian’s eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, obviously surprised that you wanted to quit practicing so early. “Is something wrong?”

You scoffed. “ _Something wrong?_ You… you keep berating me!”

 _“Berating_ you?”

“Yes!” you exclaimed, and waggled your finger at him. “‘Straighten out your back’, ‘No, your posture for a stab is _completely_ off’, ‘Don’t just focus on my sword’... will it ever _cease_?”

He was silent, and lowered his weapon before planting it into the ground. “I thought you would benefit from criticism--”

“Adrian,” you began, and sounded completely exasperated. “How am I to improve any of these things if you don’t _teach_ me how to properly do them!” 

“I just thought--”

“I told you that I have _never_ fought with a sword before,” you said, and shook your own blade to emphasize your point. “So charging at me like I’m an experienced warrior isn’t exactly helping either.” you sighed, and run your fingers through your hair. “Maybe… maybe I should just call it a night.” 

As you made to put away your sword, Adrian grabbed a hold of your wrist and pulled you to a stop. You were angry, frustrated, and tired, but the way he said your name made you pause, and you decided to at least hear out what he had to say.

“I’m…” his voice trailed off, his hand gently squeezing yours as he turned you around to face him. “I… apologize, if I’ve been too hard on you. I should have realized sooner that all of this would have been too much for a first day.”

You chuckled. “You think?”

He tugged you closer to him, your hand sliding out of his grasp as he walked around to stand behind you. 

Your heart began to race when you felt one of his hands on your hips, the other resting on the small of your back. “What…” your voice was quiet, soft, like a whisper in the wind. “What are you doing?”

“I’m helping you fix your posture,” he replied, and eased you into a more suitable position for fighting. “That’s what you asked me to do, is it not?”

You swallowed a lump in your throat, startled that he had taken such an _intimate_ approach. “Oh… right, yes, I did.”

A shiver ran across your arms when you felt his hands trail up your body and rest on your shoulders, where he helped adjust the way you held your weapon. 

“Does that feel better?”

You were certain that your face was as red as a ripe tomato at this point, and you felt his own heart beat gently against the dip of your shoulder blades. After several failed attempts at forming a sentence, you managed to squeak out a, “Yes… thank you.”

The warmth of his embrace fizzled away as he went over to pull his out his sword, and he took up the same stance that he had been using earlier. “I promise that I will not be as… _unrelenting_ this time. I underestimated my own strength and… I should have been more understanding of your learning style.”

You looked down at your sword, and felt a fire light in your heart, a new sense of determination burning in your eyes as you looked at him. “Thank you, Adrian. I think… I think I’m ready to try again.” 

He nodded his head, and even though he still charged at you, the weight behind his attacks were far less strenuous than before. You made note of the way Adrian had shown you to hold yourself, and after getting the hang of it, you could not help but smile at how much _easier_ this all felt. 

“That’s it,” he said, a grin slowly forming on his own lips. “You’re doing much better.” 

He continued to encourage you as the night wore on, and he easily picked up on how well you responded to these affirmations, making a mental note to keep that in mind for future sessions.

Personally, hearing him praise you on your improved efforts made you feel ten times lighter, and although you still had a long way to go, you knew that significant progress had been made tonight. 

Adrian drew the practice to a close when you found yourself with the edge of his blade against your throat, but this time, you laughed and admitted your defeat. 

You wiped some sweat away from your brow, panting from exertion as you followed behind Adrian to sheathe your weapon. “I think that was a pretty successful practice,” you said, and gave him another smile. “Thank you… for not giving up on me.”

“I would never do such a thing,” he replied. With a flick of his wrist, his sword slid itself back into its sheath, and he smirked at you. “It’s actually quite impressive how much you’ve improved.”

“What can I say?” you gave him a smirk of your own. “I’m quick to pick up on things-- especially when I have such a good teacher.”

“Oh really?” he smiled, and his fangs glowed an eerie white under the hue of the bright blue flames. “You’re a fast learner, you say?”

“Call it whatever you like, it’s the secret as to why I’ve always been such a good academic,” you teased.

“Well, that certainly leaves me wondering on what other secrets you will reveal to me as we continue to spend more time together.” 

Your laughter slowly fades away as you both look at each other, and your heart starts to hammer inside your chest when you pick up traces of pink in his aura, circling around him like the thick clouds that dot the sky during a sunset.

 _The language…_ the voice calls out to you, and your gaze subconsciously flicks down to gaze at his lips, before going back up to eyes… those beautiful golden eyes. At times, you felt almost like you were drowning when you stared at him for too long, losing yourself within his sea of liquid gold. 

He placed a hand on your shoulder, and slowly leaned in closer, the whisper of your name invading your every sense.

It’s as though you had been rudely awakened from a dream, and you draw away from him when you realize just how _close_ he had been… he had been to--

“I…” you lose your voice as your throat closes up, feeling so ashamed for interrupting such a perfect, _tender_ moment. “I think… I think I should head to bed.”

All at once, his eyes cloud over, and he backs off, the hurt in his expression palpable. “I… see.” he curtsied, and he politely smiled, but you knew that he did not mean it. “Get some rest. I will… see you tomorrow.”

“Yes… tomorrow.”

He gave you one last parting glance before exiting the colosseum, and when you were certain that he had gone, you let out a loud, frustrated groan. 

“Why… why is this something that I have to worry about?” you muttered to yourself. “I just… I just wanted to be a healer, to be Lisa’s apprentice…Why did _you_ have to go and... ” you pinched the bridge of your nose, and although your mind was going a million miles per minute, it was about time that you visited the fairies.

The bright white moon welcomed you into the courtyard, the faint glow of an occasional firefly lighting up within trees, helped illuminate the path that lead beyond the greenhouse and into a small alcove filled with flowers. 

Large willow trees swayed gently in the soft breeze, and you felt several of their long, tendril branches graze against your arm, as though welcoming you to this place. The smell of roses and honeysuckles warmed your chilled bones, and you gasped once your eyes landed upon a bush of common night glories-- also known as moon flowers. 

Finding a comfortable spot in the grass, you let your fingers delicately trace the contours of their soft petals, overjoyed to have found them shortly after blooming. 

“Beautiful, are they not?”

You jump, frightened by the sudden sound of their voice, before you realize that it’s a fairy. 

A trail of red fairy dust sprinkled down from her green, iridescent wings as she flutters before you. She had gorgeous rich blue eyes, and long, fiery red hair that was decorated with tiny flowers. Her dress was a light pink, with red ruffles at the top, and her skin was a soft amber that complimented her hair.

You nodded, and gave her a smile. “Yes, they are. These happen to be one of my favorite flowers.”

She smiled at you, and flew over to sit on your knee. “They are pretty, but I think roses are my favorite flower.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because she’s the fairy of _love_.” 

From the bushes emerged four more fairies, Livy, Tune, Aria, and one other that you were not yet acquainted with. 

She had short, purple hair that was cut into a bob with bangs. Her eyes were a startling green, and you noticed that even her eyelashes were the same color as her hair. She wore a long, laced pink dress, and had large blue wings that curved into swirls at the very ends. In her hand, she held a tiny scepter that turned into the decal of a butterfly at the top, and you could instantly pick up that she was _much_ different than any of the others that you had met.

Aria and Livy were the first to branch off from the group, excited to see that Tune had indeed _not_ been lying about you promising to visit them tonight. 

“It’s so nice to see you again, small lady.” you said, and popped the tip of Aria’s nose.

“It _has_ been awhile, hasn’t it?” she said, and put her hands on her hips. “I trust that you and my master aren’t getting into too much trouble?”

“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it _trouble_.” the fairy dressed in pink cooed. 

You looked down at her, confused. “What does she mean?”

“Oh that’s Amore!” Livy replied excitedly. “You don’t have to worry about her like you did with cranky old Athena. She’s the sweetest fairy I know, which makes sense for being the fairy of love.”

“Love?” you repeated, and then laughed. “Well that’s… interesting.”

“Interesting indeed,” Amore agreed, and took off into the air, hovering just above your chin. “I can see into your heart, my dear. It’s… very confused, but, it beats for _one_.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You would do well to not ignore what Amore tells you, my dear.” 

All the fairies went silent as the one with the scepter flew up to you, her face stern, but eyes laced with understanding. “The path to your heart, it seems… clouded, as though you are preventing yourself from coming to terms with your feelings.”

You grew nervous, and your eyes darted away from looking at her. You had come here seeking advice on a dream, not to get read for filth about your complicated emotions… 

“I…” you began, but were interrupted by Tune flying over and clearing her throat. 

“Lockette, please,” she said. “It’s clear that this discussion is making her feel unwelcomed.”

The fairy before you, Lockette, took in Tune’s council and nodded her head in agreement. “Yes, I can see that now. I apologize for being so fortwright about things you wished to keep hidden, my dear.”

“Oh…” you began. “I… well, I don’t-- I…” you sighed, and brought your knees up to your chest. “It’s… not your fault. I… I just haven’t been feeling myself lately.”

“Hmm,” Lockette hummed. “I sensed just as much.”

“What’s been bothering you, dear?” Tune inquired. 

“Well it all started when I had this… strange dream the other night.”

“Dream?” Aria repeated.

“Yes… I had been walking through these woods. They looked like no other forest I had ever been in before and yet… there was a sense of familiarity. I… I sensed the spirits of the forest there, walking amongst the trees.”

“The spirits?” Lockette appeared surprised. “They showed themselves to you?”

“No… um… sort of. It was strange… it’s as though they were leading me through these woods, and shortly after, I found myself in a clearing, face-to-face with a big white wolf. I pet him, and snuggled up next to him, but when I opened my eyes, he was gone, and in his place, was a red hibiscus.” 

The group went quiet, and the five of them fluttered around you, as though taking in everything that you had just said. 

“A white wolf… you said?” Aria asked, the first to break the silence. 

“Yes. Is… that relevant?”

“Oh!” Livy chimed in. “I think I remember seeing a big white wolf walk through the forest a few times!”

“She’s right!” Tune concurred. “I’ve seen it too! But… what does that _beast_ have to do with you?”

You sighed and flopped down to lay on the grass. “If I knew, do you think I’d be coming to you for advice?”

“I suppose not,” Tune replied, and sat beside you. 

“You mentioned a flower,” Lockette said, and flew over to join Tune, the other three following her. “What did you say it was again?”

“A red hibiscus.”

“Oh, dear,” Amore gasped. “You know what a red hibiscus means in the language of flowers, don’t you?”

_The language…_

“What did you just say?” your head whipped over to face Amore, your heart pounding in your chest as that voice spun around inside your head.

_The language… the language…_

She smiled up at you, and with the snap of her fingers, a red hibiscus had materialized from a burst of magic. “A red hibiscus,” she said, and flew up to rest the flower into the palm of your hand. “In the language of flowers, it means that you’re in love.” 

You sat up, the flower tumbling into your lap as you did so. It felt as though you could hardly breathe, as though you were suffocating, but the reality of it all was staring you so plainly in the face, that it was as if you had just been pulled out of a dense fog.

Sure, the symbolism of the wolf didn’t yet make much sense, but… 

You picked up the flower and spun it between your fingers, a shy smile on your lips. 

“I can sense that you’ve opened up your heart a bit more, my dear,” Lockette said, and landed on your shoulder. “But… there are still doors that require the correct key to open them.”

You frowned. “What do you mean?”

Lockette shook her head, her expression soft and eyes twinkling with a wiseness even beyond your years. “It is not my place to say. You will find out in due time my dear. For now, I am happy to see that at least _one_ of these keys has been found.”

Her attention focused on the hibiscus, and you let out a dreamy sigh. 

“There’s no need to act so proud,” Amore teased, and lovingly gazed down at the flower. “It’s okay to have feelings for someone. It’s okay to be in _love_.”

“Love, huh?” you repeated, and brought the flower up to your nose so you could give it a sniff. 

You laid back down on the grass, the fairies chatting and playing around you, with the hibiscus resting above your heart. 

_At least out loud… I won’t say I’m in love._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my chapters just get longer with each upload istg. 
> 
> heeLLOOO everyone!! sorry for the long wait, i've been figuring out life but now that things are starting to look up, i was able to finally finish this chapter. 
> 
> also, yes, that isn't a mistake you're seeing with the new '8/18' addition. this story will have a grand total of 18 chapters, and although it makes the end seem so much more real, it also makes me so happy because this is the FIRST story that i have entirely planned out!! i hope that you all enjoy chapter 8, and are looking forward to the rest. this fic means a lot to me, so i'm really glad that you've been enjoying what i've gotten out so far <3
> 
> p.s. i'd recommend listening to, "i won't say i'm in love" from hercules while reading this, it was a big inspiration for this chapter hehe ;>
> 
> p.s.s if u can guess where the inspiration for the other fairies came from, i will luv you forever


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